


Autobike's Community Service-Angels and Demons

by serindarkwolf09



Series: SD's Transformers Community Service [3]
Category: Transformers (Bay Movies)
Genre: Attempted Murder, Drama & Romance, Drug Use, Explicit Language, F/M, Friendship/Love, Gang Violence, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment, Street Racing, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-24
Updated: 2014-07-24
Packaged: 2018-02-10 04:21:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 50,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2010735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serindarkwolf09/pseuds/serindarkwolf09
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Autobot Bikes go to Arizona to deal with illegal street racing and become involved in so much more than they expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Entering The Race

**Author's Note:**

> While this story is not a musical, there are some chapters that would work best listening to some music while reading. 
> 
> Best Songs Used For Chapter:  
> Lock It Down-Fast and The Furious Soundtrack  
> Virtual Diva-Don Omar  
> Act A Fool-Ludcris  
> Sad But True-Metallica

There was no doubt that something was going down in Tuscan, Arizona. A lot of the people of the city were rushing home because they knew about it. It was clear when cars were blocking off streets in the middle of the night and many people were forced to take detours to go home. Or have pizza delivery guys take a different route, cursing street racers.

It was going down on the far south side of the city, where loud music was booming from the many cars lined up along the street and many were showing off their vehicles. There were several half dressed girls walking back and forth, choosing their targets of who to play with that night. They were looking for some poor sap to egg on doing well and promising many things for if they won.

It was clear enough to say that the illegal street races were about to start. A black man wearing baggy black jeans and a black and yellow sports jersey was walking along the cars, gathering money for the races that were going on and making deals with some of the betters. He was usually the one who walked car to car, getting names, taking bets and making deals over pink slips of cars. But right at the moment, however, he was heading over to where the line of many bikes were sitting, awaiting their turn. And now it was time.

It was the motorcycle races' turn to run.

"Hey, Deek! What up, brother?" The man said as he approached, raising a hand to slap a gangster looking guy's hand, who followed suit. "The bike races are up. Who's in your team that gonna run?" He asked as he looked at the many series of Ducati's, Kats, Harley Davidson's that were lined up as well as their riders.

The man, Deek, was a very rough looking fellow with a black and green checkered dyed hair and several piercings in his ears. He was wearing all black leather and many chains dangling off his leather pants. He honestly looked stupid. But the black man wasn't about to tell him that. To insult the brother and Leader of one of the meanest biker gangs in Tuscan was like asking someone to shoot him in the head.

"Vince wants our Joey to do it today, bro. Got an idea who's riding for the Street Cats?" The foolish looking man asked as he leaned against his vicious black and red Ducati.

The black man shrugged. "Conners, I believe. I'm headin' over to find out from Snap." He said before thumbing his nose a little. "Also gotta warn ya. A couple of the Demons are going in too. Twitch, Viper, Knockers, I heard. But I don't think you ought'a be worried. They are good racers but...not as good as Joe is. They might also have gotta wicked names but with Twitch racing, they kind of suck...ow!" He yelped when someone slapped him hard from behind. He growled and whirled around to glare at who slapped him before cringing back as soon as he saw the tall, intimidating form of Duke, the leader of the Demons Squad. The guy seriously was scary by looking just like The Undertaker from WWE. And he was just as vicious, really.

"Watch your fucking mouth, nig. Or I'll put skid marks in your brain." Duke growled before looking over at a tall, man as he walked up. He sneered at the sight of the man, not looking happy at all you see him. "So, the Black Angels think they're going to win tonight, huh?"

The tall man, Vince, was in his early thirties and quite dangerous looking with dark brown hair falling around his face. He wore black slacks and biker boots as well as a black leather jacket with a ghostly woman and black wings curled around her obviously naked body to hide unwanted sights.

"We always win, Duke. It isn't our fault that your boys couldn't race to save their lives. And don't hit Beanz. He didn't do anything you." He spoke, his voice deep and dark.

"He is a nig, pissant. And you won't be winning tonight. Twitch has gotten better." Duke growled.

Vince merely smirked before shaking his head. "Whatever you say, Duke. He's good as long as he can keep his eyes off of my girl. He better watch where he puts his eyes. And you can tell him that too. If I catch him looking at her again, I will have his eyes as new key chains." He growled before flicking a finger as if dismissing him.

Duke growled, his thick black lined eyes narrowing dangerously. "Better check your sophisticated, punk ass attitude, pissant. My boy can look where ever he wants. Even at your slut, though why he wants to look at her is beyond me. She ain't that good looking." He growled viciously.

Vince had to move quickly to catching his brother, Deek, before he threw himself off his bike and towards Duke for his remark. "Easy, Deek. We will show him to watch his filthy mouth." He reassured.

Duke sneered, his large brawny arms folded over his cheat. "Please. Show me what? How to look like a clown on a tricycle?" He taunted before walking away.

Vince narrowed his eyes after him before he turned towards a biker wearing all black approaching him. A black helmet with a black raven as the design shined in the light. "Joe, change of plan."

"Primus, look at this place. It's packed tight. The Sec wasn't kidding, was he?"

"Of course not. Now shush, Cliff. We have a job to do. And that's not blowing it." The icy blue rider remarked as she lead the way into the lot. She led the other three towards a large group of bikers, fully aware they were catching attention from the locals.

Especially when all four riders were driving a colorful of assortment of Ducatis.

"One of them is coming towards us. What do we do, Mia?" The male of the four asked, tense.

"Just let me do the talking, Cliff. Now shut up." Chromia growled as she took off her helmet and was suddenly surrounded by wolf whistles and jeers. She huffed in irritation but chose to ignore all of them. She just looked at the black man approaching.

The man, however, clearly liked what he was seeing as he looked her over, admiring her tight black and blue body suit she was wearing. "Hiya, darling. Nice bike." He remarked, choosing to be more respectful than his eyes were being. "You lot here for the race? Riding or watching? Maybe...looking for some action?" He asked in a smooth way while waggling his eyebrows at the three ladies.

Chromia nodded, stonily. She was not impressed whatsoever. "We're called The Bots. And we want to race. I am Mia Hide. And I am married so do not get any ideas." She said coolly as she lift up her left hand and flipped him her ring finger to show a black metal ring.

The man laughed before waving his hand. "Sorry, sorry. It's just I see something pretty, I can't help myself. I'm called Beanz here. I run the race pots, if not the entire show. If ya wanna race, the buy in is $100, 000." He told her.

"For each group?" The sandy blonde haired holoform of Cliffjumper asked raising an eyebrow.

Beanz shook his head apologetically. "Each rider. Sorry, man. If ya don't got the funds, can't let ya..." he was saying.

Chromia dug into her bike's pocket and pulled out a bundle of money, holding it out to him. "There's four entrees there. Money won't be a problem for us." She said firmly as he took the money from her. She glanced around at many of the other bikers, trying g to figure out what to expect from them. "So...we are kind of new here. Have any tips about the races and who to look out for?" She asked, peering around at everything.

Beanz nodded as he glanced over the money then stuffed it in a large sack before pointing at one large group. "Yeah. You gotta be careful with a lot of these guys here. A lot of them are gangs so if you mess with one, you mess with all of them." He nodded to the group he was pointing at, several who wore black leather jackets with a vicious angry cat on the back. "Those guys are the Street Cats. They are all right. Good guys, really. They try and stay out of trouble and do things right for the city. Most of them do, actually. They are really good people, as long as you don't piss them off. It's really the Angels and Demons you got to look out for."

"The what?" Flare-Up was the one to ask as she shared a glance with her fellow bikes.

Beanz shrugged as he pointed to two different groups who looked like they ate glass and nails for breakfast, lunch and dinner. "The ones on the right are the Black Angels. They're lead by Vince Ferreira." He explained motioning to a tall, dark young man, who was talking to a biker wearing all black and even a helmet, so they couldn't tell if it was a male or female. But then again, the rider did have some interesting curves and it only took a short quick scan from Moonracer to realize that it was a female. "He and his gang can be pretty rough. They don't let anyone mess with each other. They are a pretty tight nit group so I wouldn't try and piss them off. I like them because they don't have a problem with me or my skin color. They don't treat me bad and that's all cool."

"You are treated bad because of your skin color?" Chromia asked skeptically as she looked at him.

Beanz shrugged before pointing at the really rough biker group. "The Savage Demons. They're lead by that really big, scary looking guy, Duke. He is not nice at all. Not even to his own group. He is mean and he cruel so do not get on his bad side. He is not afraid to hurt people just to get his own way. He is also a raciest asshole so he don't like black people much. He treats me like dirt." He said darkly sending a glare at the tall man.

The four frowned, glancing at each other. "So...why do you let him race if he is like that then?" Cliffjumper asked.  
Beanz snorted looking right at him. "You haven't met him, have ya? You try telling him no, he will put a fist through your face. I know because he did it before. What he wants, he gets. Everyone but Vince is scared of him. And they get really nasty when they meet up. The Angels and Demons really hate each other. Well...except two of them. Everyone knows about that. But Vince and Duke throws a huge fit whenever they even speak to each other." He told them.

"Really? Which two?" Moonracer asked genuinely intrigued.

Shaking his head, Beanz shrugged as he already started backing away. "Hang around and you will find out your selves. It's so easy to find out by just watching them. Anyway, I gotta go. The race will be starting in a minute. Do your selves a favor and do not approach any of them. Wait till they come to you. And keep your eyes out on the race. You don't want to get hurt, being newbies and all." He told them. And then he was gone.

Chromia, Flare-Up, Moonracer and Cliffjumper looked at one another before shrugging. They didn't get the entire thing but they could piece it together.

*All right, guys. Let's do this. Keep an optic out and watch your selves. I don't like what Beanz told us. It is more than likely that we have to watch Vince Ferreira and Duke. They must be the ones we were warned about.* Chromia spoke through the com links.

*Okay, Mia. Should we go ahead and win this thing? Get a name for ourselves going?* Cliff asked looking at her.

Chromia glanced around, meeting a few eyes that were watching them. And they weren't exactly friendly looks either. The big human, Duke was glaring at them with suspicion, as if trying to figure out the new riders were going to be a threat or not.

Slowly Chromia nodded. "Yeah. Let's do that." She looked right at Flare-Up and Moonracer, studying them for a moment before nodding to Flare-Up. "Flare, you are the fastest out of us. You do it. Cliff," she looked at the male of their group. "Don't pout, Cliff. It isn't working. You...just put on a show. Get their attention. Moon, you know what to do. Keep an optic out for the two that Beanz told us about. We might need them." She told them.

The other three nodded with serious, down to business looks on their faces. They knew it was time to get down to it.

"What will you be doing?" Cliff asked firmly.

Chromia smirked as she looked back at Duke then to the one called Vince, who was looking over at them now. She could see that he was quite curious about them now. "I will be introducing these gangs to the new toughest glitch in the city." She said with amusement before she climbed off her real form and placing her helmet on the handle bars. She was already moving to walk over to The Black Angels first.

"Uh...didn't Beanz say not to do that?" Flare asked skeptically, her arms folded and she leaned on her handlebars.

Chromia grinned as she looked over her shoulder at her. "Since when do we ever listen to good advice?" She asked smirking.

The other three rolled their eyes but smiled and shook their heads. They saw her point. Since when did Chromia ever listen to anyone but Elita and Optimus? She didn't even listen to her own husband. So what else was new?

Chromia looked right at Vince Ferreira as she walked right up to him, a very confident look on her face and her stride. She almost smirked, actually she did, when he raised an eyebrow at her, leaning against a very nice black Ninja.

Some of his people even looked at her, looking tense but curious of why she was walking over to them. A punk with black and green hair, however, smirked as he looked her over, admiring her curves. He even added a wolf whistle as she approached his brother.

"Hi." Chromia said, eyes only on Vince, who nodded his greeting to her. "The name's Mia Hide. You Vince?"

Vince nodded again, looking lazily at her. "Yep. And I am wondering why you came over here. Didn't Beanz warn you not to?" He asked, sounding more like a hissing snake ready to strike.

Chromia just smirked, placing her hand on her curvy waist and shifting her weight. "Yes, he did. But I don't do well with listening. I do whatever I want. Me and my crew." She said tossing a thumb over her shoulder to the colorful assortment of riders. "We call ourselves The Bots."

Vince now looked amused but in a sarcastic way. "The Bots? That name mean anything?" He asked thickly.

"Yup. Bikers Of Total Speed." Chromia said grinning.

Now Vince smirked back, slowly nodding. He now looked amused by what she said. "Bikers of Total Speed, huh? So you're fast. Guess you must be to have four Ducatis. But you do know it's not the bikes that wins races, right? It's the bikers and their skills. A lot of noob idiots have gotten their selves killed in these races." He said in warning.

Chromia shrugged as if it was no big deal. "Guess you are just going to have to see what we can do on the race way, aren't you? Me and my crew are some of the best racers in the world." She said full of confidence.

"Cocky attitude. I think I like that." Vince chuckled before waving a hand towards the full black dressed biker, who looked over before walking over to him. "There is no way you are better than Joe, here, though. Joe, say hello to our new comp."

The biker nodded before pulling off her helmet to reveal quite the dark beauty of a young woman. She had a face to kill for and black hair bundled up behind her head to keep out of her way. She wore very dark make up but it still looked quite nice on her. "Hi." She said in a not so friendly way.

Chromia nodded back. "Hi, Joe, was it? That short for something?" She asked keeping a tough but friendly edge to her tone.

The girl rolled her eyes impatiently but nodded. "Johanna. But I hate that name. So it's just Joe." She said dryly before nodding to the icy blue bike. "Nice bike. You any good on it?"

Nodding, Chromia just smiled. "Guess you will find out, won't you?" She said in a sly way. "You racing?"

"Yeah. And I will win. You and your noobs should drop out of the race so I don't make you upset." Joe said coolly.  
"Joe." Vince warned but didn't sound reprimanding. He actually sounded amused.

Chromia, however, grinned as she turned slightly away. She was definitely liking this girl. She was a tough one. Probably one that didn't let anyone push her around. "We shall see." She turned her attention to Vince, nodding to him. "Nice to meet you. See you in action later." She said before walking towards the Savage Demons now.

"Joe, mess her and her clowns up. Burn them." Chromia heard Vince whisper to Joe.

And all she did was smirk.

Approaching Duke, Chromia found that he wasn't going to be as polite, in a dark way, as Vince as. She saw his dark rimmed eyes looking her over, appreciating her looks but he still looked like he was about to lash out at her if she made a wrong move.

"What do you want, chicky?" The man asked in a very gruff way.

Chromia just smirked up at him, not intimidated whatsoever. Her sparkmate was scary than him and she wasn't afraid of him at all. "Name's Mia Hide. Just coming to introduce myself and my Bots." She said making her own voice sound gruff.

Duke narrowed his eyes at her, not looking impressed. "Yeah? Well, I saw you talking to dickweed, Ferreira over there. Should have come to us first. So you can take your skinny ass and get the fuck out of my city before I make you." He growled.

Chromia smirked, narrowing her eye at him. "You are a tough one, aren't you?" She asked amused.

"Toughest and meanest son of a bitch in Tuscan, chicky." Duke grunted with a smirk on his face as he folded his brawny arms over his just as brawny chest. "And if you don't watch your hot skinny ass, I'll show you how tough I can be. Now run along and go back home to fix dinner or don't belong here. You'll just break a nail."

Narrowing his eyes at him, Chromia kept a cool smile on her face as she shook her head. She knew he was just trying to scare her but he had no idea what or who he was dealing with. She was not going to let him trash talk her with his sexist or crude remarks. She would definitely have to put this one in his place. "I am right where I want to be and where I belong, bucko." She said coolly, still smirking. "And if you are not careful, you'll find out that I can be the biggest glitch in the universe." She then turned, flipping her long dark hair over her shoulder and walking back to where the others were waiting for her.

Obviously, Cliffjumper, Flare-Up and Moonracer had been listening in. They were looking right at the man, Duke, shaking their heads as they waited for Chromia to rejoin them. They could see her bright blue eyes glowing furiously. They knew she was not happy with that jerk of a human and his remarks towards her.

"We gonna burn his ego?" Cliff asked smirking at the oldest of the four.

Chromia, now stone faced, as she approached her real form nodded before climbing back onto her bike form. "Oh, yeah. He's definitely going to be burned down a notch." She said coolly as she shot the human in general a look, who was now speaking to three other men.

One of them, however, did catch the four Bots' attention. He was a young one, probably in his later twenties and with shaggy black hair sticking up all over the place. He was looking over at them, almost a little concerned, even if he was dressed more like a rock star unlike his fellow bikers. He actually looked concerned for them while his fellow members were nodding and agreeing to something that Duke was telling them. He didn't look happy whatsoever. His eyes even flickered away from them and trailed over to where the Black Angels were. And not just any Black Angel.

"Mia, I think I found those two that Beanz was talking about." Moonracer said quietly.

"I see that. Question is, what about her?" Chromia said, letting her eyes flicker over to the tough girl, Joe before she tore them away when Beanz climbed up onto the back of a truck. "Keep an optic on them, Moon. The race is about to start."

Moonracer nodded before she joined her fellow three to putting their helmets on and waiting for the instructions.

"All right, pimps, gimps, ladies and gentlemen!" Beanz called into a microphone, waving his hand to get attention. He waited for all of the loud music to die down from all of the cars before nodding. "All right! Time to get racing those bikes! You'll be starting at the line over there. The track is simple. Race around the block, over the bridge and back here. First one to cross the finish line, back here, wins all of the money collected. Most of you know the rules. No dirty shots! Just race!" He pointed directly at the Savage Demons. "That means you, Demons! No dirty fighting in this one! We don't want to send any one to the ER again. We already got the threats from the Pigs that if someone ends up dead like last time, they will shut us down! So play it nice this time."

"Bite us, Nig!" One of the Demons snapped before most of them began laughing. Only one wasn't laughing, and that was the one that the Autobots had been watching earlier. He actually looked away with look of disgust.

"Dude, just shut up!" Another biker yelled as he rolled his bike towards the line with many others.

"You wanna make me, skinhead?" The same Demon growled threateningly as he flipped a finger at him.

The biker didn't answer, probably a little too intimidated by the Demon who had snapped at him.

Beanz shook his head, not looking happy at what he had been called but he wasn't going to say anything about it. He hopped down from the truck bed and moved over to stand in front of all of the bikes now. He paused to look at the icy blue, the hot pink, golden sandy and fiery red bikes and their riders, his lips curving up a little in a friendly way before he nodded and raised his hands. "All right, riders! Start up those engines!" He yelled.

And a roar of engines burst out, echoing off of building walls and causing many of the viewers to plug their ears of how loud they were.

"Ready! GO!" Beanz yelled throwing his arms down and crouching down low to the pavement as one of the Demons sped past, swinging his arm as if to knock him off his feet. Either way, about ten bikes sped past with roaring engines going past him.


	2. Dirty Racing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Best Songs Used For Chapter:  
> Burn It To The Ground-Nickleback

The loud revs of engines exploded through the air as ten bikes of different colors went speeding down the road. Many of them had left black marks along down the street as they went. One bike, one of the Demons had actually wheelied it before snapping forward.

*Hey, that guy tried to hit Beanz back there!* Cliffjumper called over the com links.

*Nothing we can do right now, Cliff! Just race! Find any obstacles you can and make a show out of yourself!* Chromia called over to the golden sandy Bot. She turned her head to look at the other bikes after hearing a loud crash and a painful scream. *What was that?!*

Turning a pink covered head towards her sister, Moonracer merely pointed to one of the Demons. *One of the Demons pulled a nasty move on the Street Cat member, Mia. He kicked his bike and made him crash, along with several of the other racers!* she called over.

Flare-Up sped along side Cliffjumper, who was searching ahead for something to do. *These guys are dirty! I saw the other Demon member shiny a laser light in one of the Black Angels' face and he went down!* she hollered.

Chromia narrowed her hidden optics before nodding her human head, as she watched who was in the lead. *Looks like that Joe girl really can go. That one called Twitch too. Flare-Up, get up there! Cliff, see that sign and trailer up ahead?!*

*Got it, Mia!* Both called before speeding up.

Flare-Up soon was speeding right alongside the Black Angel, Joe and the two Savage Demons, Twitch and Viper. She sent them a glance while speeding along side them only to end up swerving when the one called Viper kicked out at her. "Hey!" She snapped as she ended up slowing down a little.

"Ohhhh! No you did not just kick at my femme!" Cliffjumper growled before speeding forward and up slant of signs. He kicked off it hard, taking to the air right over the human riders before slamming down on his wheels right in the lead. He was fully aware that the human riders had looked up with shock, watching him go over them before he had landed. He smirked inwardly to himself as he kicked it into a medium gear, staying in the front of everyone, only slowing down a notch to let Flare-Up pass by all of them.

Engines screamed as the bikers kicked it in high gear, pushing to go faster, even as they spun and squealed tires as they made a turn onto another street.

Chromia mostly stayed near the back with Moonracer, watching the other racers. She was watching the girl, Joe as she kicked her full throttle and sped up to the front alongside Flare-Up She narrowed her eyes, watching carefully as the Black Angel turned her head to look at Flare-Up, tensing up as if she was going to do something. 'Don't do it.' The icy blue femme whispered to herself as she watched Joe fingering what looked like a metal ball keychain hanging around her handlebar. She knew the Black Angel member was probably going to...

And then she did. Joe yanked it off, snapping the small chain before throwing it right over her shoulder towards...

It smashed against one of the Demons' face guard, who had been swinging what looked like a steel pipe he had pulled out of his boot to hit Flare-Up from behind. It had startled the biker enough to swerve until he lost control and crashed.

Flare-Up had been a little surprised, as had Chromia. They hadn't really realized that one of the Demons had came up behind her to hit her.

*Flare?! You okay?!* Chromia called over to her fellow femme.

*Yeah. It wouldn't have done anything to me, but I didn't even realize what happened.* Flare-Up called back. She turned her helmet towards Joe, who gave her a sharp nod before kicking it into full throttle again, taking the lead. *That was kind of unexpected.*

Chromia nodded as she picked up her own speed to get closer to Joe. She wanted to watch her closer. There was something about her that had the femme's interest. She wasn't sure just yet but she wanted to find out.

Cliffjumper, on the other hand, was right behind them, next to his higher commanding officer, watching the Demon member called Twitch. Not once had he tried to play dirty like his two comrades were doing. He was actually trying to stay out of the way, yet, he seemed to be watching the leading racer, Joe carefully. As if he was actually watching her back. The Autobot frowned, watching him close. He couldn't tell if he had something planned or he was actually watching her. 'What is your deal, human?' Cliffjumper asked himself.

As if he had heard Cliffjumper's mind, the Demon rider turned his black helmet towards him, looking directly at him. He stared for a moment before quickly reaching up and slapping his face guard up so Cliffjumper could see his face.

"Hey! Warn your friends! Don't go on the bridge!" He yelled before slapping his helmet down again and speeding up.

Cliffjumper was bewildered as he stared after him. He had no clue what he was talking about. But...what about the bridge. *Chromia, that Demon guy, Twitch just gave me an interesting warning.* he sent the transmission to Chromia.

*Hm. Okay. Moon, send a wide scan in a five mile radius and see if you can't see if there is anything interesting about the bridge.* Chromia called over to her sister.

*On it.* Moonracer called back.

Turning her scanners ahead, the hot pink femme sent out a wide scan of the entire block. She could only frown as she found nothing ahead but a few people. But they seemed to be just watching the races. She also caught a glimpse of a police cruiser with two police men inside, waiting for trouble.

Stretching her scanner to go farther until she found the bridge, it was there she found the trouble. She stiffened as she found that a large portion of the bridge was not even there. What was there was very weak and unstable. If anyone tried driving over it, it would collapse and they would fall and get hurt. There was a long ramp set up that they would have to jump but it was a far gap. Only a fool, or something else could make that jump.

*Chromia, the bridge is unstable! We try driving over that, we will crash!* Moonracer called to the icy blue femme. *We can try and jump the gap but it is a far range! The humans won't make it if they try it!*

Chromia frowned at the sound of that. That was not something she wanted to hear. This was a dangerous...

*Wait. My scanner is picking up something else.* Moonracer said as she spotted something...or someone. She stretched her scanners and searched the bridge before spying it. *You have got to be kidding me.* she suddenly groaned.

*What is it, Moony?* Cliffjumper asked as he sped alongside Flare-Up and the three humans in the lead.

*There are two humans up ahead! They are stretching a chain across the bridge entrance!* Moonracer said darkly. *It looks like those Demons are cheating! They plan to stretch the chain and have whoever drive right into it!*

Chromia growled as she looked ahead and saw that they were coming up to the bridge now. Her sensory unit was picking up that something was trailed across the bridge. She looked side to side and found that the ends of the chains were locked around the pillars of the bridge. She knew that someone was going to be killed if they hit that. Namely the humans.

Something needed to be done about the chain. But they couldn't blow their cover.

Chromia knew she needed to act fast. They were on the chain fast. And it would be Flare-Up, Joe and the guy named Twitch to hit it. It looked like they needed to do a little improvising after all. *Flare-Up, dead ahead! Duck and under! Cliff, time to show those moves again! Flare won't be able to jump the gap and the bridge is unstable! Jump it and win this thing!* She called to them.

*Mia, I can make that jump! Let me...* Flare-Up was saying.

*Flare-up, like it or not, no you can't. Ratchet said you were still smarting on your axels since that whole fiasco in Mexico dealing with the Cons a year ago. He said you shouldn't make un necessary jumps or you will tear your energon lines in your ligments.* Chromia said firmly. *I am not about to go against doctors orders even if he isn't here. He will find out if you do it and it will be my aft that gets welded to the ceiling for letting you. Forget it. Cliff is going to make the jump with me. You will go for the chain and dive under it to give the others a heads up. Got that?* she asked with a growl.

Flare-Up, obviously, was sour about it, because her rider form slumped but she dipped her head into a nod. *Fine. Duck and under.* she grumbled.

Chromia nodded sharply before turning her eyes over to Moonracer. *Moon, up and over. It's time to show off what we really can do.* she said firmly.

Moonracer nodded with a thumbs up. *Got it, Chromia!* she called back.

All at once, all four kicked it into high gear, going faster. They needed some serious speed if they were going to pull this off.

Flare-Up sped up, rushing right past Joe and Twitch, as well as the third Demon member, who all three blinked in surprise, watching her go. She kept a determined look on her face as she quickly approached the chain before jerking to the side and down to start sliding down the road, screeching her metal as she went. She moved almost like slow motion, sliding right under the chain before having her holoform kick hard and quick at the ground to set her back up on her wheels.

As Chromia had hoped, the other three seemed to realize that there was a chain because they immediately slammed on their brakes.

But what wasn't expected was that Joe decided to pull the same move as Flare-Up. She jerked her bike down, allowing herself to fall side wards while sliding right under the chain. Once she was cleared, she kicked hard off the ground and was off again speeding towards the gap.

Cliffjumper, Chromia and Moonracer, however, jerked their selves towards the sides of the bridge, going as fast could before hitting the slated railing. They immediately were up and riding the wall as they went clean over the chain before kicking off to land on the road again.

The other two, Twitch and Knockers were not so much as lucky or foolish to do such tricks to continue. The first slammed on his brakes and came to a stop while the other, Knockers went head long into the chain while slamming on his brakes and clothes lining himself. He went down hard while his bile screeched and slid across pavement.

Picking up speed, Chromia and her fellow three were right behind Joe, who did not spare them a look at all. They were quickly approaching the gap and the jump.

*Flare-Up, Moonracer, pull back! Cliff and I will finish this!* Chromia ordered as she leaned forward, catching more speed.

*I can do this, Mia!* Flare-Up yelled back as she did the same.

*Flare! No! Just do what I tell you!* Chromia snapped, looking wide eyed at her as they sped across the bridge, moving ever closer to the gap and the lift.

Flare-Up ignored her as she kicked it faster, moving dangerously closer to the gap. *I am going for it!* she said with determination.

*That is it! Moonracer! Stop her! I will not allow her to endanger herself for her foolishness!* Chromia snapped.

There was a click and a buzzing sound before Flare-Up yelped as a low charged EMP charge hit her, stalling her. She had no choice but to slow down to avoid crashing. "MOONRACER!" She cried out angrily.

Chromia and Cliffjumper sped up until they nearly hit blinding speed, right along with Joe, who both were watching g carefully. They knew if things came to worse, they might have to blow their cover and transform to save her if she messed up the jump.

*Cliff!* Chromia yelled over to her fellow Autobot.

Cliffjumper nodded sharply as his tires hit the slant and up he went right alongside Joe and Chromia.

All three were in the air, sailing over the fifteen foot gap, tires spinning rapidly as they flew. And then landed safely, yet heavily on the other side while Moonracer had slowed down to reprimand an angry Flare-Up. Immediately the race became one between three riders now. All three, the two Autobots and the human sped down the road and around a corner that was leading back to the finish line.

Cliffjumper shot a glance over to Joe, who looked back, clearly glaring at him. He just smiled and waved at her before he switched gears and ended up speeding up, while one wheeling it. Right over the finish line with Joe in the middle of him and Chromia.

Cheers and boos broke out from everyone still have the finish line, no one believing what they had seen.

The newbie of the Bots had won!

Slowing to a halt next to Cliffjumper, Chromia shook her head, still aggravated at Flare-Up for trying to defy her orders. Oh, was she going to get it from her. Chromia couldn't believe Flare-Up would endanger herself like that. She knew very well if Ratchet out, he was going to blow a gasket on the young femme.

"Good job, Cliff." Chromia grumbled, raising a fist so he could knock his against hers.

Then the two looked over to see Joe climbing off while having a shouting match with Vince. They were not happy whatsoever and neither were Duke and the demons. Both groups were shooting the two dark looks while shouting at one another

"Ooh, boy. We sure are making some friends here." Cliffjumper remarked as he pulled off his helmet and looked over at the gangs.

Chromia frowned over at both before shaking her head. "They knew the risk of these races, Cliff. You have winners and you have losers. They just lost and they need to get over it." She said before looking at Beanz as he was hurrying over, grinning. She put a smirk on her face. It was time to put on the act again.

"Dude! You guys are awesome! I can't believe you actually beat Joe Ferreira!" Beanz said excitedly as he held up the bag full of money towards Cliffjumper, who blinked in surprise before glancing over at Chromia, who merely frowned slightly before she put a smirk on her face.

"Hey, we did warn them." She said lightly.

Beanz just smiled before looking over his shoulder to see that Vince and Duke were now shouting at one another. He grimaced, knowing that was a bad sign. "Yeah, well you better leave now. They are about start a riot. And you might end up in the middle of it." He said now worried.

Shaking her head, Chromia watched as the shouting now came to shoving and nearly throwing fists. She frowned darkly before climbing off her bike. "Not even. We aren't leaving if they like it or not." She said now walking towards them.

Beanz tensed up, looking wide eyed as she quickly approached the two. "Are you crazy?! What are you doing.!" He yelped but received no answer. He looked at Cliffjumper, who as smirking and shaking his head. "What is she doing!"

"She is going to break it up." Moonracer said as she and Flare-Up drove up, watching their higher command.

Beanz shook his head, gripping it as if really stressed. "Dude, she is crazy! You do not break up fights between Vince and Duke! People get hurt when they try to break it up between them! Some has nearly been killed doing it!" He whined, cringing as Chromia came right up to the two.

"Trust me. Mia's not the kind you pick fights with, Beanz. If anyone is going to get hurt, it is them." Cliff said smugly.

"You dirty son of a bitch! You cheating asshole! Joe would have won if you hadn't put a chain on the bridge!" Vince snarled as she shoved the much bigger Duke. It was like shoving a wall, though.

Duke growled before bringing up a meaty fist and swinging it at Vince, who ducked and sent his own sailing right towards the big man's gut.

Before either fist could make contact, Chromia was there in between them, their fists in her palms and holding her ground better than they would have thought. They were so startled that she even managed and was succeeding in stopping their fight that they had to stop and stare at her with wide eyes.

Chromia glared in between them before shoving them hard away from each other, causing them to stagger. "Both of you," she growled, her hands now on her waist as she looked at the two. "Grow up! Act like adults, not children! So your riders lost! So what?! It was a race! Not something that tour lives depended on!"

Duke growled, his fists clenched. "Bitch! Mind your own business! This is between me and the scrub nut! Bike gang business! It has nothing to do with you, other than you are a meddling little cun…!" He was snarling.

Chromia's eyes flashed, not able to hold back the blue back as she glared hard at him. "Finish that vile word and I will make you regret it." She said very calmly, yet coldly.

Vince shook his head as he stood tall and firm, not at all happy that she was even meddling with their business. He wasn't happy that her team mate had won but he did have to respect their race tactics. They were better than he thought they would be. "You won the race, so why don't you just leave the city now? You've made your point. And as much as I hate to even come close to agreeing with the ugly giant here, this has nothing to do with you. So why don't you just leave and never come back to my city?" He asked just as coldly.

"YOUR CITY?! THIS IS MY CITY!" Duke snarled now starting to lunge forward, a fist raised to throw at Vince, even though Chromia was still somewhat in the way.

Suddenly, someone was right there, shoving Duke back again and it surprised him and all but Chromia that it was Cliffjumper, who now stood in a fighting stance as if he was going to fight the large man. He had a firm, serious look on his face as he gazed right at the large human. He wasn't going to allow him to try and harm his higher commanding officer or allow him to start throwing fists.

"Cool your turbos, big man." Cliffjumper said, his tone very calm.

Chromia nodded as she reached out and touched his shoulder, which he relaxed and stood up straight, almost like a soldier this time. She looked over at Duke, narrowing her eyes seriously at him. "You, Duke, cheated. Cheaters never win, no matter what. Someone could have been killed by your stunt. You are only lucky that it wasn't my team mate, Flare. If something would have happened to her, you would not like me very much." She then turned her attention onto Vince, who narrowed his eyes right back at her. "You, Vince Ferreira, need to calm down. You have an amazing racer. Just be lucky she is as skilled as I thought. She made second place, so what? Races are meant to show off skills anyway. But you really are so sore about the slagging money," She paused looking at Cliffjumper, who nodded right back. "Split it and shut up."

Cliffjumper held up the bag, digging through it until he grabbed a hand full of the bills and tossed it to Vince, who just let it drop to the ground, still glaring at both of the Autobots. He did the same to Duke, who did catch the money, but didn't look happy.

"As for this whole 'this is my city' deal," Chromia continued her tone cold as she folded her arms. "This city is not yours. It is everyone's in this city. It is their home. Not just yours. You do not rule it like you think you do. And we are not leaving until we are good and ready. So get over your selves!" She snapped.

"If you don't leave, me and my gang will make your lives a living hell! We will kill you!" Duke growled.

Chromia looked impatiently at him, her stance shifting a little as she turned to face him. "You really think you scare me, Duke? Well guess what?! You don't! My husband is bigger, meaner, and ten times scarier than you are and he doesn't scare me one bit. I actually laugh right in his face, just like what I am doing now. So enough with trying to look big and tough! Because I have seen meaner and scarier men than you!" She shot her dark look over at Vince again, who had started to smirk, amused by her words. "As for you, you do not scare me either. This whole gang thing that you two are trying to pull, it's childish. And before you start threatening me again," She interrupted before either Duke or Vince could start to say anything. "You better stop. Because we don't have time. Moon," She said, looking at her sister. "How far away are they?"

Moonracer shrugged before she flicked her eyes off to the side just as the sounds of sirens broke out. "I'd have to say the police will be arriving in exactly one minute and forty seconds." She said lightly.

There was burst of exclaims as people began running around and for their cars. It was time to scatter. Vince and Duke both frowned before they turned sharply and began barking orders for their gang members to take off. It was time to go.

Turning back, however, Vince pointed at Chromia, Cliffjumper, Flare-Up and Moonracer. "You better be out of Tuscan by tomorrow, Ms. Hide. Because if I see you around here any longer, I and my gang will make you live to regret it. And I suspect that Duke and the Demons will do the same." He said coldly before hurrying over to his motorcycle to book it with the others.

Chromia and the other three merely smirked as they calmly began walking to their real forms. "I highly doubt it." The icy blue femme said as she climbed onto her real body. She looked around at her fellow Bots. "All right. This night is over. Let's scatter our selves. Moonracer, track down that Twitch guy. I want a word with him. He warned Cliff about the bridge and I want to know why. If he is one of Duke's guys, he sure doesn't act like it. He's not like the others." She said as she kicked her engine alive.

Moonracer nodded before she spun on her tires and took off. Cliffjumper was hurry to do the same, waving over at Chromia and Flare-Up as he went.

Chromia gave Flare-Up a very dark look, who slouched in misery. "We will talk about the bridge incident later, Flare. You tried to disobey a direct order and I promise you, Ratchet will hear about it when this Community Service is over. So you better be ready for a wrench beating or your aft wielded to something. Now let's go." She said sternly before they both took off.


	3. Meeting The Real Deal

Speeding away from the mess that was the illegal street races, Moonracer had her scanners fully loaded, looking for the human called Twitch. It wasn't easy even picking up his trail because of how many humans that were scurrying around. That, and the many police cruisers that were speeding after them.

One even spotted the Autobot femme and began to chase her.

Moonracer sped away quickly, ducking into an alley and deactivating her headlights and holoform behind a dumpster to get away from them. She watched as the police car drove on, still searching for her.

When they were finally gone off her scanners, she was off again on her search.

Moonracer was not in particular in her search, however. She knew the reason behind her sister's interest in the man, Twitch. And that girl, Joe. They were...different. She didn't know how yet. But she saw it. There was something about them that held her and Chromia's interest. Maybe it was the fire that was in Joe. She was definitely a feisty person. And feistiness was what Chromia liked the most.

Twitch, on the other hand, he had warned Cliffjumper about the bridge. He was definitely as tough as his fellow gang members. He seemed more...gentler than them.

So the question Moonracer wanted to ask was why was he even a part of the gang in the first place?

There!

Moonracer finally caught sight of Twitch's organic signature on her scanners. He was speeding down two blocks away from hers, trying to escape from a police car. He seemed to be doing all right but...he didn't seem fast enough.

"Might as well help him out a little." Moonracer remarked as she immediately turned down an alley that would lead to the street.

Picking up her speed, she drove through the alley, keeping watch on Twitch. She could see desperate driving on his part and it made her frown as she sped down the alley. He seemed to really want to get away police officers.

And then he suddenly stopped when he reached an alley, himself. He seemed to wait there as the police cruiser slowed down, itself and stop near him.

Immediately Moonracer picked up her speed until she was in an alley just opposite of Twitch, where she turned off her engine and activated her holoform. Taking no time, she hurried to the corner and peered out, spying her quarry. And froze.

Twitch was standing next to the police car, talking to the police officer in it. He seemed to be in a hurry, talking rapidly to him. But it didn't seem that the police officer was going to make an arrest.

'What in the name of Primus is he doing?' Moonracer thought before activating her audio scanner to listen in.

"...warned Beanz tonight about you guys and he tried to shut it down but it was Duke and Ferreira! They threatened him if he did it, they would beat him to death! I know Vince gets along with Beanz but it still doesn't help! I am working as hard as I can, man!" Twitch was saying.

"You need to work faster, Twitchelle! Time is running out! Mayor Wilson wants us to start shutting down the gang fights between the Black Angels and the Savage Demons!" The police officer said just as hurried. "I am trying to run interference, but I can't do that if things can't be resolved! People are going to tart getting hurt if these gang raids don't stop!"

Twitch sighed, running his hands through his already wild black hair. "I am trying! But every time Johanna and I even bring it up with Duke and Vince, we get shut down! They know about us and Vince has threatened me if I..." he was saying.

"You are trying to date his sister, Twitchelle! Of course he is threatening you! I know how you feel about Joe. I do not want to see her get hurt either! But if the gang raids do not stop, she might get killed! I promised their father I would look after them but Vince isn't making it easy! Work harder and faster, Marcie, because you have two days left! Get those two idiots together and talking PEACEFULLY about their fights! If you don't, things will get ugly!"

Twitch nodded as he drooped his shoulders and stepped back. "Okay, I will...I will come up with something." He remarked.

The police officer nodded sharply before driving away as fast as he could, looking as if he was chasing after someone.

Twitch sighed as he hurried over to his bike to take off again. "I will try anything to save Joe from this damn life." He murmured as he climbed on and kicked it on, starting to go.

Only to slam on his brakes with a startled yelp as he found someone standing right in front of him, her arms folded over her curvy chest and looking right at him with a light smile on her face.

"Even work with outsiders to get it done?" Moonracer asked with such a sly tone.

Twitch stared wide eyed at her, not believing what he was seeing. He looked around quickly before putting his kick stand back down and turning off his bike. "Did you….where did…." He was asking before grimacing and slouching down on his seat. "Did you just hear me talking to Officer Miller?"

Moonracer nodded as she shifted her weight, still smiling. "Seems to me, you're in a tight spot. A Savage Demon gang member talking to cops right after an illegal street race. I don't think that will sit too well with Duke, don't you think?" She asked lightly.

Sighing heavily, Twitch rest his elbows on his handlebars and looked wearily at her. "Please don't tell him. He will beat me to death if he knew that I was working with the police. I'll pay you anything. If I can. I swear..." He was saying now quite desperate.

"Relax, Twitch. If I was going to inform your leader that you were talking to police officers, I wouldn't have approached you. I'm not even going to black mail you or anything. I actually came looking for you in the first place." She smiled gently when he frowned at her, quite confused. "You warned Cliff about the bridge and we were wondering why. You don't act like you are a Demon. Why are you even a part of the gang if you did that?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

Twitch looked away, blushing from embarrassment. "Oh. That." He looked back at her, frowning. "Look, I don't want anyone to get hurt. What Duke had the others do was unfair and stupid. People could have been killed. I think Knockers is going to have to go to the hospital after getting clothes lined like that. He knew it was there, but the idiot gets off on pain, I think. That, or whatever. I don't know why he allowed himself to do that in the first place. He is just weird." He heaved a sigh and sat up straighter. "So...other than that, what do you want?"

Moonracer shifted again, this time moving closer. "My sister wants to talk to you. In all honesty, it's about the street races. That and the gang fights and all. We came here for a reason and those are them. We're not here to enter in street races and get money. We're here to stop them before people get hurt. The police department has an idea that we're here. But they're not to interfere with what we're doing." She informed him.

Frowning and narrowing his eyes in confusion, Twitch tilted his head to the side. "Who are you? I thought you were just a street racing gang like us?" He remarked.

"Nope. We're not. Come with me and we can talk more. It'll be better if we're not in the open like this." Moonracer said as she dropped her arms finally.

Twitch grimaced but shook his head. "I can't. I have to meet Joe." He told her before cringing and looking quite pathetic. "Though, technically, I wasn't suppose to say that to you. Us meeting is suppose to be a secret. If Vince knew that I was secretly meeting his youngest sibling..." He was saying.

Moonracer smiled as she stepped back away from him. She was starting to get a clearer picture of what was truly going on between Twitch and Joe. "He won't find out until you two are ready for him to find out, Twitch. As for meeting with Joe, let's go meet her. I'm sure Mia wants to talk to her too. We can help you end all of this madness. And we can protect you both if you let us." She reassured him.

Looking hesitant, Twitch slowly nodded. "She'll be pissed if I let you come with me. So expect an ear full. But if you really want to help end the gang fights, I'm all up for it. This whole gang rivalry and hurting people is just stupid." He stated.

"My words exactly." Moonracer said smiling before she turned her attention to down the road. "We better get moving. There's some riders approaching this direction."

Twitch nodded before kicking on his bike again and putting on his helmet. "Okay. Follow me. But still expect trouble from Joe. She will not be happy that I'm bringing you." He remarked, before pausing from lowering his face guard. "Hey, are you cops? I gotta know that first."

Moonracer smiled but shook her head as she looked quite amused at the very thought. She knew she shouldn't even say it. But she figured it was going to gain some trust from Twitch. "No. I'm not a police enforcer. And neither are my companions. You could say...we're military." She told him before turning and walking to her real body.

"Great. Military. This just gets even better." She heard Twitch mutter before slapping his face guard down.

*Moonracer to Chromia, Cliffjumper, and Flare-Up. I found Twitch and I have spoken to him. Things just got a little interesting. He is definitely a lot more than we expected.* Moonracer sent through her com link.

*Want to elaborate, Moony?*Cliffjumper sent back through his.

Moonracer shook her head as she climbed onto her real form and kicked her engines alive. She made to follow Twitch as he pulled out of the alley and started going. *I'll send a quick report so you can understand more. But we're going to meet Joe. I'll send you the coordinates.* She replied.

Driving for about ten minutes, Twitch lead Moonracer to what looked like a few warehouses. It was right next to a high way and it was under the over pass where they found Joe waiting for them. She was sitting on her bike, looking bored from waiting so long. But when she heard twin engines rumbling, she stiffened and looked up. She was definitely very tense when she found two of them.

"MARCIE!" Joe immediately snapped as she stood up and looked ready to book it. She heard more engines from behind her and she spun around to find the other three of the Bots gang driving up. She looked ready to bolt at any second.

Twitch hurried up to her, turning off his bike and waving a hand to get her to calm down. "Joe, I'm sorry! She caught me talking to Miller! But it's okay! She says they want to help!" He immediately said as hurriedly as he could.

Joe turned a very dark look on to him, her fists balled up. She couldn't believe him! He actually brought strangers into their mess?! "Marcie! I'm going to kill you! How could you do this to us?! Bringing in strangers?! Outsiders?! We are so going to..." She was yelling, completely angry that he would have even done something so stupid.

But it was Chromia as she turned off her engine and removed her helmet. "Hold on, kiddo. We're not going to blow anything for you two. We just want help..." She was saying.

"DOES IT LOOK LIKE WE FUCKING WANT YOUR HELP?!" Joe snapped, turning her outrage onto her next. She glared very hard at the icy blue rider, looking ready to pick something up and start beating her with it. But unfortunately for her, there was nothing close enough for her do it. "You are outsiders! You're not even from here! What the hell do you think you can help with?! Getting me and Marchello killed?! My brothers are going to be pissed when they even find out that we are even speaking to each other!"

"Marchello? Is that your real name?" Cliffjumper asked, amused as he looked over at Twitch.

Twitch slumped, miserably. "Yeah. Marchello. Marcie, sometimes for short. But I absolutely hate that name. It's a friggen girl's name. So everyone just calls me Twitch." He looked apologetically at Joe when she looked like she wanted to beat him to a bloody pulp. "I'm sorry, Joe. But I swear, she said that she wants to help us. What if they can help with the problem? Let's just hear them out, okay?" He begged as he climbed off his bike and went over to her.

Joe glared harder at him before slapping him upside the head, making him yelp in surprise and pain. "You better be right about this, Twitch. Because if you aren't, I'm going to kill you! My brother is going to kill you! DUKE is going to kill you! You will be killed three times over!" She growled at him before folding her arms and looking darkly at Chromia. "All right! Start with who you are, what you want and how YOU can even help us!"

Chromia rolled her eyes before she leaned against her real body, looking lazily at her. As if she hadn't heard threats before. She wasn't surprised nor scared by the human's anger. "My name is Chromia, Joe. This is Cliffjumper, Flare-Up and Moonracer, who is one of my triplet sisters." She said lazily. "And we've come to Tucson to end the street races and end gang fights that have been breaking out throughout Arizona." She said dryly.

Joe and Twitch frowned, looking confused. "What kind of names are those?" The latter asked, quite un-nerved.

"Don't freak out, okay? We're not here to harm you." Cliffjumper said raising both hands as he glanced over at Chromia, who nodded.

A second later, there came the many clicks and banging of metal as the motorcycles unfolded their selves right before the two now very astonished looking humans. The four stood up to their full height, nearly touching the underside of the over pass with their heads.

Chromia bent down to one knee so that she was closer to the two gaping up at her and the other three with alarm and disbelief. "We are Autobots. We're doing this Community Service thing to help up with human relations. We were sent here by the Secretary of Defense, John Keller to help solve problems that is going on in the public. The illegal street races and gang activity in Arizona is what brought us here." She explained softly. "Moonracer," She motioned to the hot pink femme. "Informed me that you guys are trying to end the gang rivalry and stop people from getting hurt. We can help as long as you will allow us."

Moonracer nodded as she folded her metal arms over her curvy chassis, smiling softly down at Joe and Twitch. "We want to help and we can. We just need a little more information on what's going on." She said softly.

"Will you let us help you? People won't have to get hurt if we do." Flare-Up said as she plopped herself down in the road, legs folded as she sat before them.

Joe and Twitch stared, wide eyed at the four, still not believing what they were seeing. They had heard about the new alien residents of Earth. It was the biggest talk of the decade, actually. Everyone was always talking about the Autobots and the Decepticons. They had been skeptical about the alien robots at first. But after the whole World Wide Conference that introduced them to their world, after hearing Optimus Prime speak and be so gentle with a human child, they were impressed.

"Wow." Twitch could only say as his eyes took in the wonders before him.

Sucking in a breath, Joe slowly nodded. "Okay. Now you guys have my attention." She then frowned darkly and glowered at them. "HEY! That's how you won that damn race! You're Autobots! You are the motorcycles! Cheaters!" She hissed, pointing up at them. But there was a hint of amusement in her eyes now. She wasn't entirely pissed off at them for winning the race. She was actually very impressed with them and it showed through her eyes.

All four of the Autobikes could not help but chuckle in their own amusement.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Technically, you did win the race." Cliffjumper said with a light laugh as he rubbed the back of his helm. "You're really good, by the way. I've never really seen a human race like you do."

Joe snorted as she folded her arms and flipped her long black hair over her shoulder. "Wait till you see Vince race. He's the best racer in the entire city. He just doesn't race because he hurt his leg months ago." She sent that look towards Twitch, who winced and rubbed the back of his own head. "Of course, it wasn't any one's but Duke's fault for that one. The bastard made him crash during that race. That's kind of why they really hate each other." She continued.

"Well, I'll look forward to racing him some time. When he's able." Cliffjumper said, grinning down at her.

"So...how can you guys help?" Joe asked now looking at all four Autobots. She sounded more like she was challenging them with whatever they wanted to do.

Chromia shrugged as she tilted her head to the other side. "Well, for one, what can you tell us about what's going on around here?" She asked in a return challenge.

Joe shrugged as she went over and sat back down on her bike. This was going to take a little while to explain and she didn't want to be standing there, gaping up at them when she could do it sitting down.


	4. Setting A Plan

The plan was not as simple as everyone thought it would be. They had racked their brains and processors for a way to end all of the gang fights and the illegal street races, trying to thinking of the safest way to go. But everything that they came up with, Twitch and Joe had something negative to say about it.

"What if we just talk to them?" Cliffjumper had suggested.

Joe shook her head as she paced back and forth, her arms tightly folded. "Vince already doesn't like you. He won't listen."

"Duke either. He will probably just threaten you if you tried to talk to him." Twitch said miserably.

"I'd like to see him try." Chromia shot with a slight growl but no one paid much mind to her. They all knew she was getting irritated with all of the ideas being shot down.

"What if you two just talk to them? Say that the gang fights are stupid and it would serve a better cause to work together." Moonracer tried the more peaceful approach.

"No. Then Vince and Deek will just think I am trying to defend Twitch. They will flip out and just try to shoot him to get me to get over him." Joe said still pacing.

"Duke would probably punch my face in if I tried to reason with him. He doesn't like his leadership questioned. And I happen to like my face, thank you very much." Twitch added with an apologetic grimace.

"Argh! Why don't we just shove them in a room and force them to understand that the gang fights are getting stupid ad people are getting hurt!" Flare-Up tried impatiently.

"They carry a gun. You put them in a room together, they will probably try and shoot each other." Joe said and Twitch nodded in agreement.

This was getting aggravating.

Every plan they came up with was shot down in flames by Joe and Twitch. Nothing seemed like a good idea to them. It was so frustrating. Not to mention, they were all getting tired. It was late in the evening and well in the very early morning. It didn't take an Autonomous Robotic Organism to tell that the two humans were exhausted.

Sighing after an hour of trying to come up with a plan, Chromia heaved a heavy sigh and rubbed her optics as if trying to rub recharge out of them. "Let's give it a rest for now. We can try and pick it back up tomorrow. But Joe and Twitch does need some rest. It has been a long night for them.

The other three nodded in agreement. Joe and Twitch let put weary sighs as they looked at one another, smiling faintly. "I need to get back to Vince and Deek. They are probably freaking out right now." She said as she moved over to her bike.

Twitch nodded as he did the same. "Duke is probably doing the same though not like her brothers. He is probably worried I got caught by the cops again." He grimaced at the very memory of the last time he had been arrested by the police and Duke had had no choice but to bail him out. That one time had not been pleasant.

"Hold on." Chromia said as she looked at her fellow bots, who met her optics. They seemed to have a silent conversation because all four nodded as if in agreement before looking back at Joe and Twitch. "You may not like this but I would rather if you both took one of us with you. Just to keep an optic on things. If we can at least watch Vince and Duke carefully and closely, we might be able to come up with a plan."

Joe frowned sharing a glance with Twitch. She didn't look particular happy about the idea. But after letting it settle in her mind a little longer, she nodded. "All right. I guess that might work. I can pretend I stole one of you from you." She paused looking the four over before pointing at Moonracer. "I guess I can take her. If that's all right."

Moonracer and Chromia shared a glance but both nodded as they looked back at one another.

"And I will take Cliffjumper, if that's okay." Twitch said smiling.

Again, Chromia nodded. "Okay. Then we have it. Flare-Up and I will make some rounds around the city. Check things out. Cliff, keep a keen watch. I want to know everything that goes on, okay? Moon, you too. The sooner we have some more information, the better. I am also...curious about that Demon member of yours, Twitch. Knockers, wasn't it?"

Twitch frowned but shrugged. "Knockers? What about him?" He asked shifting his weight.

Chromia slowly shook her head. "I am not exactly sure. He allowed himself to be hit by those chains on the bridge. The speed he was going, it would kill a normal human. But you said he was fine, right?" She asked.

Twitch shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. He is always doing stuff like that though. He seems to have a high tolerance on pain, that's for sure. He does crazy stuff and always seems to be okay in the end. He is really weird. But Duke likes him because he's kind of sadistic and twisted. Just right if you wanna be a Savage Demon. But it's not just that. He's a mad racer. He loves it and he is one of the best in the gang. He's super fast and well skilled when on the road." He stated.

"What're you thinking, Mia?" Cliffjumper asked frowning now as he noticed the wheels turning in her processor.

Chromia slowly shook her head as she looked thoughtfully away. "I don't know. But there is something about him. Something...kind of familiar. I'm not too sure about him. Does he always drive a motorcycle?" She asked looking back at Twitch.

Twitch shook his head. "No, not always. I mean, we are a bike gang but he technically likes to drive a flashy strawberry red and silver Hennessey Venom GT. Though how he got a hold of that car, beats me. He swears he won it in a race but...I don't know. I swear he stole it from some rich guy. Duke doesn't question him about it because it's super nice and fast. He just likes it when Knockers wins races with it. No one likes racing against him when he's racing." He explained.

All four Autobots frowned at that thought but Chromia slowly her head. "All well. Never mind. He isn't important right now." She said shrugging.

"Still, Knockers is a weird name for someone. Especially a human." Cliffjumper said standing to his full height and stretched his gears and wheels. "Makes me wonder why he would choose a name like that. It's completely weird and crude for a name."

"Well, it is actually what we call him in the Savage Demons. Like everyone else, we don't use our real names very often. His real nick name is Knockout. And while some thinks it suits him, Duke sure likes to pick on him..." Twitch continued on.

The Autobots frowned as they heard what he said. But it was Moonracer who stiffened. She knew that name very well. But it couldn't be, right? There was no way it could be...

"Knockout, huh? Why does that name sound familiar?" Cliffjumper asked sounding confused.

"What is he like?" Moonracer suddenly asked, not hiding the tension in her vocoder.

Everyone looked at her in surprise and saw how tense she was.

"Moonracer, you okay?" Chromia asked as she looked at her sister in concern.

Moonracer slowly shook her head still staring at Twitch. "Twitch, what is Knockout like? His personality? His hobbies?" She asked stiffly.

Twitch shrugged, looking confused. "I dunno. He is just some guy, I guess. Though if he heard me say it like that, he would get pissed. He is really sure of himself and his car. He is vain, arrogant, always worrying about his looks. He swears his car is the prettiest thing in the galaxy and he freaks out every time when someone touches it. He is really into the races. If he can't race his car, he races one of our bikes and likes to..."

"Knockout." Moonracer suddenly cut him off with a breathless sigh. "I knew it. It is him."

Everyone stared flabbergasted but Chromia stiffened as if it dawned on her. She seemed to get why Moonracer was suddenly so apprehensive. "Wait a minute! Moonracer, are you...THAT Knockout?! You think Knockers could be THAT Knockout?!" She asked stunned.

Now, everyone was tensed up, mostly Flare-up and Cliffjumper. They seemed to get it now.

"Knockou...!? Wait! You mean that sadistic son of a glitch from Kaon?! The reversed medicbot?!" Cliffjumper asked shocked.

"Okay, somehow I get the feeling Knockers isn't who he says he is. You know him?" Joe asked placing her hands on her waist.

Moonracer, looking shaken up, slowly nodded. "Perhaps. If I am right, Knockers is actually a former Decepticon named Knockout. Though I would need to see him with my own optics and hear him actually talk to be sure. But if he is..." she shook her head letting out a sigh of uneasiness. She was not happy to hear that Knockout may have been on Earth. Past memories were coming back

Twitch swallowed hard to even think that his fellow gang member might actually be a giant alien robot from space. "Wh-who is he?" He asked uneasily.

For a moment, no one answered but looked right at Moonracer.

Moonracer sighed, lowering her head as she looked away. "Well...to be put simply, he is a sadistic doctor. A reversed medic, I suppose you could say. He was a medicbot back on Cybertron, and quite brilliant too, really. He was a younger colleague of our Chief Medical Officer, Ratchet at one time. Problem was, he had an annoying habit of doing opposite of what he was supposed to be doing." She explained.

"Yeah? Like what?" Joe asked frowning.

"Like tearing bots apart and selling vitals on the black market. He had, or has, a morbid curiosity about how things work. He finds something he doesn't understand, he will take them a part to figure out how they work." Moonracer stated.

Twitch grimaced with an amused huff. "Well that explains why he took a part the TV when he first joined the gang. Duke was pissed when he did that. But he put it back together and it worked a lot better than it did before." He said with a shrug.

Moonracer nodded as if that was confirming her thoughts. "That's what Knockout does. Except he does it to mechs and femmes. And sometimes he doesn't fix them. He kills them. If Knockers really is Knockout, we need to find out what he is doing here." She said looking at Chromia.

Chromia nodded as she looked back. "All right. We will keep an optic on him. If he really is Knockout, then we will confront him. Find out what he is doing here." She said firmly.

"You know it won't be easy, Mia. Remember what happened last time he was cornered?" Moonracer asked gravely. She received a nod.

"What happened last time?" Twitch asked curiously.

Moonracer looked away in a faraway look. It made everyone frown when they saw a pained look in her optics.

"It was Moonracer who cornered him." Chromia said darkly. "She caught him by surprise and he didn't like it. He nearly tore her apart, and enjoyed it. She was stuck in the medical bay for orns, days, being fixed by Ratchet. Knockout is very dangerous when he is cornered. Not only is he sadistic but he carries an electro staff that could put someone out for a long time if not kill them."

Everyone grimaced at that thought. They didn't like the sound of this Knockout. They knew they would have to be careful when around him. He would definitely be someone to tiptoe around.

"Cliff, since you are going with Twitch, watch Knockers very carefully. But don't engage with him. Do not corner him at any chance. Not by yourself." Chromia said firmly.

Cliffjumper huffed irritably. "Oh, come on, Mia. I can take some Con." He said almost offended by her lack of faith in his skills.

Chromia shook her head as she gave him a stern look. "Not Knockout you can't, Cliffjumper. He is dangerous and I am not going to let you put yourself in danger. Do not engage with Knockout by yourself. Do you understand me?" She said warningly.

Sighing, Cliffjumper nodded. He knew better than to ignore Chromia's orders. She wasn't mated with Ironhide for no reason. "All right. I will stay away from him." He said dejectedly. He waited for Chromia to nod and turn away from him before he vented out as low as he could, "For now."

Chromia swung around to glare at him in warning before looking at everyone else. "All right, everyone. Let's move on. Moonracer, guard Joe and watch Vince and his Angels carefully. If you get any ideas, let me know. Cliff, you the same. Be careful and don't reveal your selves if you can help it." She looked at Joe and Twitch, who were frowning up at her. "I know what you are going to say but it would make us feel better if you allow us to be your temporarily Guardians. We will protect you from any harm. No matter what. We are here to help." She told them.

Slowly, both nodded, getting the idea. They didn't someone guarding them. They were sure they could take care of their selves. Or at least Joe could.

It was Twitch that Joe was worried about. Especially if there was some Decepticon prancing around in pretence of being a gang member. They just hoped that nothing bad would come out of this.

"Everyone, roll out and keep your optics, and eyes open." Chromia said before transforming into her bike form with the others.


	5. Knockout

Moonracer and Joe drove through the city until they reached the Dark Angels' hangout, which was an out apartment complex that didn't seem to be too shabby. It was actually quite a nice looking place. It was next to a nice looking garage called Ferreira's. It obviously was Joe's family's garage. There were a few cars lined up in the front, probably going to be worked on. One garage door was open and a car was being worked on and that was where Joe had Moonracer go.

Pulling up to the open door, Moonracer saw her brothers, Vince and Deek were the ones working on the car. The oldest was under the hood while the younger was working under the car. But when they heard the two femmes coming, they pulled out to look...and frowned when they saw what Joe was driving.

"Joe, where the hell have you been?" Vince asked as he walked over to where Moonracer parked and shut off her engine. "And where the hell did you get that?"

Joe swung her leg up and over the Autobot femme and moved over to him, smirking. "I found it. It had been abandoned by one of those Bots. Sorry it took me so long to get here, Vince. There were cops everywhere. I had to drive around the entire city to shake them. You mad?" She asked him, looking uncertain.

Vince frowned, a slight suspicious look in his eyes before he shook his head. "No. I am not mad. I was just worried about you." He told her. He frowned deeply, tilting his head to the side. "Though, somehow I do get the feeling that you are lying to me. You were with him, weren't you?"

Joe frowned at him before looking away impatiently. "Vince, please don't start..." she was saying.

"You were! You were with that dumbass from the Demons, weren't you?! Joe! How may times do I have to tell you! Stay the fuck away from Twitch!" Vince exclaimed, his fists balled up.

Joe turned a glare onto him. She was getting so tired of this same old thing. Having to fight against Vince over Twitch was getting so lame and old. "Vince, he isn't like the others! He isn't like Duke! If you would just give him a chance!" She exclaimed right back.

"I will not give that damn demon a chance, Joe! Do not make me tell you again! Stay the fuck away from him!" Vince snapped.

Joe glared hard at him before starting to roll Moonracer towards the garage. "I am 22 years old, Vince! And this is getting bullshit! The rivalry, the gang fights! It is so over rated! I will see whoever I want! I am not a child any more! I do not need you telling me what to do!" She snapped back.

Vince followed after, looking like he on a warpath. "Yes, you do, Johanna! I will let you see any guy you want! As long as he is not one of the Demons! Pick Beanz! Pick one of the Street Cats! Pick one of our guys! But not a fucking Savage Demon! If I see you or hear you seeing him again, I will...!" He was yelling.

Joe spun around, her long black hair fanning out behind her as she glared at her oldest brother. "You will what?! Beat him bloody?! Kill him?! Twitch is a good guy, Vince! Being a Demon or not! You'd see it too if you would pull your head out of your ass! The gang fights with the Demons are stupid and lame, Vince! You and Duke need to get over your selves! Grow up!" She snapped before wheeling Moonracer into the garage.

Vince, however, roughly grabbed her shoulder and forced her turn to face him. He looked ready to slap her hard for her words. "Joe, I forbid you to socialize, more or less date Twitch!" He then raised a hand when Joe opened her mouth to interrupt. "Do not interrupt me! If you care about him, you will tell him to stay away from you from now on! Because the next time I see him, he is dead! Dead!" He snarled into her face before whipping atound and storming out of the garage, leaving Joe and Deek alone with a disguised motorcycle.

There was a long silence before Deek walked over and wrapped his arms around a fuming but very upset Joe. "Joe, he's right. Twitch is a Demon. Angels and Demons don't mix..." he was saying.

But Joe yanked away from him, glaring at him next. "Don't, Deek! I don't want to hear it! Now leave me alone!" She snapped.

Deek grimaced but nodded as he turned to follow after Vince.

Soon it was just Joe and Moonracer. They sat in silence for a long moment before the Autobot vented her intakes. "You okay?" She asked after a long moment.

Joe sighed shakily before going over to lean against the wall, her head in her hands. "God, I wish Vince would grow up. He is an awesome brother and leader of the gang. But I wish he would stop telling me what to do." She said, her voice thick with emotion.

Moonracer watched her in sympathy. "I am sorry this is that bad. But whennwe are done with all of this, maybe Vince will see what you do in Twitch." She said softly.

Smiling faintly over at her, Moonracer shook her head. "No he won't. He is just too stubborn. And he was serious about hurting Twitch. He will hurt him if he sees him again. All because of me." She said darkly.

Frowning inwardly, Moonracer didn't agree. She knew if Twitch stayed by Cliffjumper, he wouldn't let Vince hurt him. "It will be because of you that he will see how good Twitch is, Joe. And we will help you. I promise." She said softly.

Joe smiled faintly but nodded. "Thanks." She told her beforelooking around. "Sorry this isn't a grand hotel but its all I can do for accomadations. It's warm in here at nights, though that's no surprise for being Arizona. And if it rains, you won't get dripped on."

Moonracer could only smile at her behind her motorcycle form, knowing that Joe wouldn't see it. She appreciated the young human's concern for her. She didn't let it worry her though. A little rain wouldn't have hurt her. But she appreciated a dry and warm accomodation either way. "Thank you, Joe. It'll be just fine. You should probably get some rest. We have a lot to do tomorrow. And hopefully it will be the start of ending all of these gang fights." She said, sounding just as hopeful.

Joe nodded as she tossed her long black hair over her shoulder before she moved towards the garage door, pausing to look back at the Autobot and sharing a meek smile before pulling the door down.

For Cliffjumper and Twitch, it wasn't as easy at it had been for Moonracer and Joe to returning to the Savage Demons' little hangout. They had drove through the city until the reached what looked like the ghetto version of the city. To say that most of the apartment complexes looked more like old ware houses, Cliffjumper couldn't help but crinkle his hidden sensory unit as he looked around.

"So, this is home sweet home?" He asked as he drove down the street.

Twitch smiled thinnly, looking around but nodding as he held onto the Autobot's handlebars. "Yup. This is home." He said as he directed Cliffjumper towards a garage where several bikers were seemingly having a party. "And that's where we are staying."

The garage was somewhat small but big enough for several cars to be worked on inside. There was a line of bikes right in front of the building and in the lot, as well several nice looking cars. There was rock music booming from several large sound boxes, while most of the bikers were dancing with women or some just hanging out. Cliffjumper eyed every single of the Savage Demons, pinpointing the members he remembered being at the street race, and even noticing that Duke was there, sitting on a ragged leather couch, listening to one of the other Demons talking.

But when they heard Twitch coming with Cliffjumper, several eyes turned their way and several looked surprised to see what he was even riding. Duke even raised his thick eyebrows before pushing himself to his feet and making his way over to where Twitch had Cliffjumper stop and turn off his engine.

"It's about time, Twitchelle. Where the hell have you been? You almost get caught by pigs?" Duke asked gruffly as his dark eyes roamed over Cliffjumper, making the Autobot rather uncomfortable. "And where the hell did you get this thing? Ain't that one of those noobies' bikes?"

Twitch shrugged as he just sat on Cliffjumper, patting the warm tank as if patting down at a horse. "Yep. One of the Bots ditched their bike in an alley and I snatched it up. Sorry it took so long, Duke. But there were cops all over the place. I almost got spotted but I did the ditch and hide routine. They never came close to catching me." He said, almost too prideful.

Duke slowly nodded, looking Cliffjumper over before shrugging. He didn't seem think it was a problem getting a hold of a Ducati like this one. "Whatever. Anyway, as long you didn't caught. I was starting to think that I would have to go bail your fucking ass out of jail again." He ignored Twitch when he grimaced. He turned and looked around at everyone. "Anyway, we're discussing the next riot we're going to start with those pansy asses, the Dark Angels. Ferreira pissed me off, as well as those stupid noobs, The Bots. If they're still in the city by tomorrow, we're gonna chase them out." He grunted.

Grimacing, Twitch glanced down at Cliffjumper, who stayed rather calm about those very words. He couldn't see how the Autobot could stay still after that remark from Duke. He supposed that threats that his gang leader was nothing he hadn't heard before. "You know, Duke. They're not that bad. Say, what if we convinced them to join us?" He suggested. "They could help us, you know?"

Duke turned a dead panned look onto Twitch, who immediately cringed and regretted saying anything at all. "Are you fucking kidding me? They're outsiders, Marcie. I don't like 'em. Make that suggestion again, and I will pound you. Now get something to drink and chill out. Take that new bike of yours and park it near Knocker's car. I don't want that thing out in the open where someone can see it and report it being stolen or whatever." He said darkly.

Again, Twitch grimaced, stiffening to hear that he was to take Cliffjumper near what could have been a Decepticon. He had felt the Autobot stiffen under him as well but they just hoped that nothing would happen. "O-okay." He said before he pretended to turn Cliffjumper back on and rolled over to the farthest side of the garage, where a very nice looking hot red and silver car was sitting.

And sitting on the hood was the very person that had Twitch very uneasy.

Before the race and even after the race, Cliffjumper hadn't had a chance to get a good look at the Savage Demon called Knockers. But now that he was able to, he had to make a hidden face. He had to admit it. The supposibly human was quite...well, a good looking guy for a guy. He was tall, built like a soldier yet had a pretty face for a guy. He was clean shaven with slightly long blonde hair and very dark eyes with a hint of red in them. He wore tight black leather pants and a rather tight cherry red stretchy shirt, showing off his form. He looked bored, staring at nothing until he switched his dark eyes towards Twitch as he rode over with the golden tan Ducati. He narrowed his eyes before his thin lips curved into a smirk. He looked amused now.

"Nice bike, Twitch." Knockers said, lazily, having a slight British accent as he spoke. He looked Cliffjumper over before his smirk was gone when he eyed the strange looking insignia on the tank. He didn't so amused any more. "Where did you get that one?"

Twitch shrugged, trying not so any anxiety towards Knockers. He was fairly sure that this Knockers was who the Autobots had warned him about. But he couldn't let Knockers know that he might have known who he was. He was sure that if he knew, there would be serious trouble. "Found it." He merely said, not trusting himself to say any more.

Snorting, Knockers slowly nodded before locking his eyes directly on the headlights, as if glaring right into Cliffjumper's very hidden optics. "Ri-ight." He drawled out before shrugging and patting his car's hood. "That thing is a piece of scrap when compared to my baby. My car could trash that puny little scrap of metal bike." He said, almost sounding as if he was trying to provoke Cliffjumper.

It took everything that Cliffjumper had not to start growling his engine or even snapping right out at Knockers. He knew he couldn't blow his cover, even if these aftpipe seemed to know what he truly was. He had to keep a low profile.

Twitch, however, grimaced as he shut off Cliffjumper and lightly patted the Autobot's side as if trying to calm it. "Come on, Knockers. Knock it off. Yeah, I know your car's awesome. You don't have to keep saying it. Just don't diss my new bike, 'kay?" He practically begged.

Knockers snorted again, folding his arms across his chest and looking away. "Don't be such a wimp, Marcie." He sneered before looking back at the human and then nodding over his shoulder. "Looks like Duke wants you. Better go find out what he wants."

Twitch stiffened, not really wanting to leave Knockers being around Cliffjumper. He didn't feel too comfortable with the idea that these two might start something when Chromia had warned her fellow Autobot not to. He knew Knockers, if he really was Knockout, might try and provoke him into a fight. And that was the last thing that they needed right now. "Knockers, don't touch my bike, okay? Duke doesn't want any one messing with it. So don't..." He was saying.

"Oh, relax. I won't touch the damn thing. Just go find out what Duke wants before he gets pissed at you." Knockers growled irritably at him.

Swallowing hard, Twitch nodded before he swung his leg over Cliffjumper and started to walk away. He, however, kept glancing back, looking very uncertain. He was well aware that Knockers was watching him, almost smugly. He really did not want to leave Cliffjumper alone with his fellow Savage Demon for obvious reasons. But he didn't have much of a choice. He just really hoped that Knockers wouldn't provoke his new friend.

Once Twitch was out of ear shot, Knockers turned a lazy, not so amused look onto the golden tanned motorcycle. He glared at it for a moment before leaning forward, still glaring into the headlights. "You better not bust my cover, Autobot." He growled. "What are you doing here? How'd you find me?"

Cliffjumper snorted to himself as he returned the glare through his headlights. He knew very well now that this was Knockout. "We didn't know you were here. Until you just busted yourself. So what's a Decepticon doing here, hanging out with a bunch of humans?" He asked in a very low voice.

Knockers snorted, still glaring at the motorcycle. "None of your business, bot. If you make trouble for me, if you even think about blowing my cover, you can ask the hot pink femme what happens when you cross me." He hissed before he allowed his holoform to flicker out of view and the hot red and silver Venom GT rumbled to life, slowly pulling past Cliffjumper. He paused right next to the Autobot, rolling down a window so that his holoform in the driver's seat could glare at him. "Next time you see her," He started, smirking again. "Tell her hi from her favorite EX-Decepticon. I so look forward to seeing her up close and personal again. Can't wait to get my servos on her this time." He remarked before squealing his tires and pulling out of the drive way, making several humans look his way.

Cliffjumper wanted so much to just kick his engines on, revv really loud and angrily and speed after that...wait?! He frozed at the sudden thought. 'Did he just say Ex-Decepticon?' He thought in surprise. 'What does he mean Ex-Decepticon? He isn't one of them any more?!' He grimaced before sending a quick transmission to Chromia to let her know what he just barely learned from Knockout and to let her know that Knockers really was the supposibly former Decepticon. It looked like things were getting much more interesting when dealing with Knockout.


	6. Moonracer's Story

It had been confirmed by Cliffjumper last night and it certainly did not settle too well on everyone's processor. Especially Chromia's. She felt so uneasy to know that Knockout truly was there, on Earth, in Tuscan, Arizona. But she could only imagine how Moonracer was taking it. She knew fairly well that her youngest sister had a past with Knockout and it hadn't been a pleasant one.

Since that fateful day, so many vorns ago, Moonracer never had been the same after her confrontation with Knockout. No one but Chromia and Arcee and even Ratchet ever saw it but their youngest sister had changed. She was still the kind sparked, loving and caring femme they always knew. She took risks to protect the ones she loved. She would do anything to protect her sisters and all of the other Autobots.

But even before the tryst with Knockout, Moonracer had used to be as wild and fun loving as Flare-Up. She had always been happy with racing circuits back on Cybertron, even during the war. She could chase down any Decepticon without batting her optics.

In truth, and everyone used to know it, but Moonracer was the fastest femme on Cybertron. She had been nearly as fast as Bumblebee or Hot Rod or even the Decepticon, Barricade and they were recorded to be the fastest Cybertronians in history. She was the fourth fastest Cybertronian in recorded. Thus why she had been given the name Moonracer. She could have circled ten times around the Earth's moon with high speeds within only a minute of Earth time.

But that had been before her...'accident' involving Knockout.

Chromia remembered it all too well and it was mostly because of her bond with Moonracer. The Arcee Sisters had a bond that was similar to a Seeker trine's. They could sometimes feel the other two's emotions, sometimes see memory data from each other, and even communicate with each other when not even within miles of each other.

That day, however, had been the worse day in Moonracer's and even Chromia's and Arcee's life. It had been the day when their connection with each other had been torn to pieces and it had taken vorns to repair. And even then, it was still hard for Chromia and Arcee to connect with Moonracer. They could feel her even now but it was so numb. It was like some human getting a shot of novacane by a dentist and having their mouth muscles completely numb.

The connection with Moonracer was not what it used to be.

Chromia could still remember the recovery Moonracer had gone through after facing Knockout. She remembered waking from recharge, feeling Moonracer's dulled agony and fear of what he had done to her. She never did talk about it when the two older sisters tried to pry but they knew it had been bad.

Still, that had been probably fifty vorns ago. Perhaps more.

"All right, Cliffjumper. Thank you for reporting it in. At least we know that Knockout is really here. We will come up with a plan tomorrow of how to corner him and take him down tomorrow." Chromia said after getting the report from the mech.

Flare-Up, driving next to the icy blue femme, glanced over in worry. She didn't know exactly what happened between Moonracer and Knockout but there had been rumors. Everyone knew he had done something to her that made her positively scared of him. She had seen the look in her friends' optics when Twitch told them about Knockers. "Will...Chromia, will Moonracer be okay?" She asked uneasily.

Glancing at her stonily, Chromia nodded her holoform's head. "She will be fine. She has come a long way after that run in with that slagger." She said darkly. Though deep down, she wasn't completely sure herself.

The two femmes continued driving all around the city, keeping an optic out for the said sadistic son of a glitch. The oldest femme was praying to Primus that they ran into him. She would do anything just to get her hands on that scrap heap.

The next day came too quickly in Moonracer's opinion. Her recharge really hadn't been restful. She kept waking herself up after going through memory purges of what happened that fateful day. She was seriously in a state of jitters after remembering what that Unicron's spawn did to her.

She was just too glad she had put a lockdown on her bond with Chromia and Arcee. Arcee especially. She did not want the oldest of the triplets to know how frightened she was to know that Knockout was around. That would have the violent purple femme racing all the way to Arizona just to hunt him down.

And honestly, Moonracer couldn't have that for numerous reasons. One, Arcee needed to have a clear processor to protect Mikaela and keep a look out for the Department and the Minicons. Two, she needed to protect Mikaela. And three, there was no way Arcee was even able to take down Knockout. She was a fierce and brutal warrior when it came to fighting Decepticons. She was that good. But Moonracer didn't want her to risk it. Not when it came to Knockout.

Before she could think any more on it, the garage door swung upward with a loud clattering, making her jump at the sound. She turned her hidden gaze to who it was and found that it Vince and Deek, Joe's brothers. They were talking and drinking what she scanned to be coffee as they readied for the day's events.

Of course, when Vince looked over at her, she did everything she could to stay still.

"So, what are we going to do about this bike? You know those Bots won't be leaving until they get it back." Deek pointed out.

Vince narrowed his dark eyes at the hot pink bike before walking over to her to study her. He didn't say a word as he began circling her, as if searching for something about her. He was trying to figure her out. He even reached out and ran a hand along her tank and then her seat.

"Well?" Deek said again, trying to get an answer out of his older brother.

Vince shook his head as he stepped back, folding his arms. "Well, I'd say trash it and send it in pieces back to the so called Bots, give them a warning about staying in Tuscan." He clearly didn't notice Moonracer tensing up at that notion. "But...this bike is just too nice for that. I hate the color pink. I always though it an ugly color. But it actually suits this thing. If I dared to say it, and I am going to, this bike is actually kind of hot for a machine."

Moonracer had to quickly shutdown the protocols of her fans going off from that compliment.

"Yeah, but what if the Bots come looking for it? They'll want it back." Deek said actually sounding worried. "They can easily call the cops and say we stole it."

Vince shook his head as he turned away and went over to a tool table to set his coffee down. "If they do catch us with it, we will give it back. With a warning, though. They get their bike back, they leave Tuscan. Or the next time we see them, we trash their bikes. And I really hope they will listen because it would be a sin to trash the bikes. Especially as nice as they are." He said gravely.

Moonracer was surprised. She hadn't been expecting that from Vince. He had seemed to be such a tough aftpipe the night before, but...he seemed to respect classy and nice machines like her disguise. Perhaps, he wasn't too bad.

Just then, Joe rounded the corner, dressed in skinny jeans, a red t-shirt and her black jacket. Her glossy black hair was pulled up into a pony tail while her bangs were pushed back with a thin black head band. "Morning." She said wearily when she saw Vince ad Deek.

Both of her brothers waved at her as they took drinks out of their coffee. Vince set his cup down and grabbed a pad of paper. "Joe, since you're up and ready, I need you to go down to Beanz's Autoshop and get an order put in." He said before looking over across the garage where a car was sitting with a tarp cover over it. "I need a few parts to come in so I can fix the Viper."

Joe nodded as she took the paper her brother had ripped out before folding it and stuffing in her pocket. "Okay. I am going to take the new Ducati. I want to give her a test run." She said before grimacing at her slip up.

Vince didn't look suspicious though, thankfully. He had figured that was what Joe was going to say. "Fine. I don't care. But if you run into one of those Bots and they demand their bike back, you let them know I want to talk to them before we do give it back. And if they threaten to call the police, tell them if they do, they'll never see it again. In one piece, that is." He said darkly.

Again, Joe grimaced but she nodded as she grabbed her helmet and pulled it on. "Okay. By the way, Deek. My bike is down by the warehouses on Far East tenth. Can you run down there with someone and bring him home?" She asked looking at her middle sibling.

Deek nodded and shrugged at the same time. "Sure. I'll see if Rich will go with me." He said looking at Vince with permission. But the oldest sibling waved his hand at him, clearly saying he didn't care either way.

Joe thanked Deek with quick ruffling his black and green checkered hair, much to his protest before turning Moonracer on. "See ya in a few." She sad before slapping her face guard down and slowly rolling back out of the garage.

Once they were roaring down the street, Joe slapped her face guard back up and slowed down a notch. "Morning. How was the garage?" She asked the femme.

"It wasn't bad. I appreciated being in there though. Chromia and Flare-Up said it was a little cold last night." Moonracer said with a light laugh.

Joe smiled behind her helmet and nodded. "It gets cold at night here. In any desert really. Did they find somewhere to stay?" She asked.

"An old parking garage near main. There was no one using it so they recharged there. Chromia does want to meet up with us, Cliff and Twitch later though." Moonracer said, her vocoder turning grave. "Cliff spoke to Knockout last night. So Knockers is Knockout. We want to find out what he is doing here. Though..." she cut herself off with a worried shiver.

Feeling the femme shudder, Joe frowned at her in concern. "You okay?" She asked worriedly.

Moonracer inwardly nodded, though Joe wouldn't be able to see it. "I...I just...I am just a little worried. With Knockout being here. It isn't exactly the best news I've heard." She said gravely.

"He really did something bad to you, didn't he? You are really scared of him, aren't you?" Joe asked sympathetically.

Grimacing to herself, Moonracer didn't know what to say. She didn't want to talk about it but...she felt like she could trust Joe with the information. "Not particularly. I...well..."

"What? Tell me. You can't start telling me and then cut out like that. I wanna know." Joe said somewhat teasingly but being very cautious.

Again, Moonracer grimaced. "Well...the confrontation I had with Knockout so many vorns ago, it hadn't been pleasant. I had been sent to a part of Polyhex, back on Cybertron to investigate an energon reading. There were reports that energon was in a sector of Polyhex and we figured it had been an abandoned load by some of the neutrals." She explained. "When I got there, I did search for the energon and found Knockout instead. He seemed to have been looking for it, himself. We surprised each other and opened fire on one another. I missed him by a fraction and he got me. Square in the chassis. His shot should have offlined me but I survived it. I only fell in stasis recharge after hitting the ground.

When I came back online, I was strapped down to a table. It was an old medical facility, which was used before the war. It had been abandoned a vorn before the war went out of control and before the grandest city of Iacon fell to the Decepticon raids. Knockout was there, fixing me." She said uneasily.

Joe blinked in surprise. "Wait! Isn't he a Decepticon?! I thought he tried tearing you to pieces!" She said in alarm. "What do you mean he was fixing you?!"

Moonracer grimaced again. "Well...technically, he did tear me apart later on. But...it wasn't exactly his doing alone. I never...never really gave all of the details of what happened that day. But...it didn't exactly happen the way everyone believed. You see, Knockout is exactly what I said he was. Sadistic, arrogant, extremely vain. He puts Sunstreaker, our most vain Autobot to shame even." She continued. "Anyway, Knockout was bent over me when I came back online, sealing a torn energon line. I startled him enough to make him jump back and pull out his electro staff. He would have used it on me if I succeeded into breaking out of my restraints. But...I didn't really have the strength or energy to have done it.

I was so low on energon that it should have knocked me into stasis lock. Basically a coma for bleeding and starving to deactivation. He taunted and teased me a little but set back to finishing what he had started. And then he did something that I never explained to anyone."

"What did he do?" Joe asked, now completely intrigued.

"I didn't believe it for myself when it happened. But he actually fed me so I could energize myself. He had given me an energon ration to replace what had been lost." Moonracer said in a faraway tone. "It surprised me. I had heard really bad things about him. He was supposed to be a completely cold energon killer, sadistic and twisted. But...I didn't see it from him then. He actually showed me a kindness that I never thought a Decepticon could have.

"Anyway, he worked on my injuries for a few orns, which is hours for us but three or four hours for you, talking to me. He said some pretty crude things but at the most part," Moonracer's fans kicked on at the sheer memory. "He...uh...he actually flirted with me." She said in embarrassment.

Joe could not stop a giggle from escaping her. Hearing this, it actually went to show that there was definitely something else about this Knockout than she thought. And probably what the other Autobots thought. "Okay! That is actually really cute to hear! And here, you guys said he was a complete asshole!" She said laughing as they drove.

Laughing softly, Moonracer had to inwardly nod in agreement. "Oh, believe me. He is. I spent the entire time swearing at him, cursing him and demanding that he kept his filthy servos off of me. He didn't particularly like me insulting him but he didn't hurt me as everyone thought he did. He only made snappy comebacks while fixing me." She said in amusement. But then all of the amusement drained out and Joe felt it in the air as they went down the street. "But then...someone else showed up and Knockout was forced to show his sadistic side." Her voice completely pained and grave.

"Who?" Joe asked the dreaded question.

Moonracer slowed down to a halt for a red light, making it easier for Joe to hear her. "Shockwave. The Decepticons' most feared and dangerous scientist. He is everything evil. He showed up while Knockout was making the final adjustments to my energon lines, demanding what he was doing. Knockout...well...he basically said he had captured me on the Polyhex streets and he was interrogating me. He even squeezed one of my energon lines to make me scream in pain to show Shockwave up.

"Problem was, Shockwave didn't believe him and stated he would stand by and watch. He told Knockout to continue interrogating me. So...that's when Knockout started hurting me. He would demand answers and when I refused to answer, he had to cause me real pain." Moonracer explained.

"So, he didn't have a choice? He was forced to hurt you." Joe said her voice grave.

"That isn't exactly true. Knockout was well known as a sadistic son of a glitch. He is very intelligent and well skilled in torturing interrogations. But he is also the fifth fastest mech recorded in Cybertronian history. The sixth fastest Cybertronian if you want to count me and the others faster than me." Moonracer explained gravelly. "He did have a choice. He could have spared me and taken down Shockwave. He was rumored to be a lot faster than that aftpipe of a scientist. And with his electro staff, he could have knocked Shockwave into stasis and freed me...I can't say I blame him. But he, like so many others, Autobots and Decepticons, was afraid of Shockwave. Under Megatron, Soundwave and even Starscream, he is the most dangerous Decepticon to cross with.

"Knockout did have a choice but he didn't go for it. He could have attacked Shockwave, won by knocking him into stasis lock and letting me go. But he didn't. He chose to torture me for information. I refused to say anything to him. I knew he was taking it easy on me though. He kept pinging my communications and apologizing for it. He kept calling me Sweetwheels, which annoys me even today.

"However, I refused to give out any information to him and Shockwave decided to take over. So...technically it had been that sick, twisted aftpipe who ripped me apart. He tortured me worse than Knockout had." Moonracer said with a hint of pain and fear. "And Knockout watched the entire time."

Joe listened painfully, not liking this story at all. She couldn't see a fault in Knockout's situation though. True, he could have acted and saved the damsel in distress and pain. He could have done something. But then again, whoever this Shockwave was must have been a really scary guy. Every time Moonracer said his name, she had shuddered with fear and pain.

"I am sorry that happened to you. What happened after that? Didn't Knockout do anything to help you?" Joe asked gravely.

"No. Not quite. I lost consciousness after Shockwave had fried my circuits and knocked me into stasis lock. I should have eternally deactivated that day. All I remember was coming out of stasis in an ICU in Ratchet's medical bay. I found out later that it had been Shockwave and Knockout who dumped me right on the Iacon palace stairs for the Autobots and my sisters to find. They literately dumped me there, leaving me to die. I had been in stasis lock for several weeks, being put back together by Ratchet." Moonracer said gravely. "If it hadn't been for him, I'd been deactivated entirely. It took me a vorn to recover from what had been done to me. It's true that Knockout did try and fix me and I suppose he was forced to hurt me so he wouldn't get caught by Shockwave. I guess I should have corrected everyone that it wasn't exactly Knockout who hurt me and it was mostly Shockwave. But...I was too ashamed of myself to correct everyone. So I suppose it is sort of my fault that everyone hates Knockout more than the fact that he is a Decepticon."

Joe sighed, sitting still on Moonracer as they slowed to a stop at another stop light. She heard a rumbling engine pulling up behind them but neither paid attention to it. "So what happened? Did you ever meet up with Knockout again after that?" She asked curiously.

Moonracer would have shrugged, still a little lost in her own memory databanks. "There were few squimishes. None of them ever pleasant. I was always with my sisters or the other Autobots when I ended up running into him. We'd end up fighting each other. But he never seemed to be going full out on me. He always taunted me, always being so annoying." She growled at the very memories. "Especially calling me..."

"Ouch, Sweetwheels. Y'know, that really hurts when you insult me like that."

Both Moonracer and Joe froze to hear that metallic, smooth and yet saucy voice from behind them. They felt as if they'd just turned into ice as they slowly turned their heads as the car behind them pulled up right next to them.

And the extremely good looking Chris Hemsworth look alike of Knockers was smirking at them with a pair of red tinted sunglasses dipped down on his nose, showing his dark but clearly red glowing eyes sparkling with dark amusement.

"Kn-Knockout!" Moonracer stammered, cringing on her wheels and leaning away from the Venom GT.

Knockers, or rather Knockout smirked devilishly at the hot pink Ducati, fully aware that she was leaning away from him. "Hey, Sweetwheels. Miss me?" He asked winking devilishly at her.


	7. Fast And Furious

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs best Used:  
> Cocky-Kid Rock  
> Nex Go Round-Nickleback  
> You Spin Right Round-Marilyn Manson  
> Pretty Handsome Awkward-The Used  
> Club Astana Dubstep

Moonracer felt her entire frame freeze as she looked at that devilish, cocky smile on Knockout's holoform's face. She honestly couldn't believe it. True, Cliffjumper had confirmed it and she honestly didn't know what she expected. But he was here, next to her and Joe.

It really was him.

"Well? Ya going to answer, Sweets? Did you miss me?" Knockout asked smugly, obvious knowing that his presense was bugging the pink femme. And he was enjoying her hesitance. It was almost too fun for him to pick on her when she was like this.

Moonracer frowned, now feeling a twinge of annoyance. Even after all this time, he still knew how to get under her frame. "Like a Cosmic Rust Plague." She answered coolly.

Knockout chuckled, making a sarcastic pained look as he lightly pounded a fist against his holoform's chest and slowly pulled it away as if he was pulling some invisible dagger out of it. "Ouch, Sweetwheels. That hurts. Here, you can have your knife back. Unless you're willing to let me keep it for a souviner." He said chuckling.

Moonracer growled her engine at him. "What do you want, Knockout?! Did you come to pick a fight with me? Because I will not be goaded into one! Not here, not now." She said with a growl.

Knockout merely chuckled as he leaned on his tires, tilting towards her. "Oh, are you sure about that?" He asked almost seductively. And got an invisie dark look for it. He only laughed heartilly. "Relax, Sweetwheels. If I wanted to fight you, I'd attack you already. No, instead, I got proposition for you. Your pal, Cliffleecher told me you didn't know I washere. So I am guessing, you, Bots are wondering why."

Moonracer looked at him warily while Joe just watched curiously. She didn't know where he was going with this. "The thought did cross our processors." She said blankly.

Knockout grinned smoothly at her, not minding the hostile mood she was shooting at him. "Well, here's the deal. Beat me in a race outside the city, and I'll tell you. Just you and me. No calling for your pain in the aft sister or her pain in the aft followers." He said smugly.

"And why in Primus' name should I believe you? The last time I believed you, you nearly tore me to pieces." Moonracer growled viciously at him.

Knockout made a face at her, almost offended. "That was vorns ago, babygears. And if you recall, Shockwave showed up. So I didn't really have much of a choice unless I wanted to be on his experiment table." He remarked dryly.

Moonracer inwardly grimaced. She did see his point. He didn't have a choice when it came to Shockwave. Still, Knockout was a Decepticon. Ot at least a former Decepticon. He was still vain, arrogant, sadistic, probably still mean too. She could hear his holier than art thou attitude in his tone as he spoke. "Okay. So maybe you didn't have much of a choice. But you were a Decepticon and you did kill a lot of Autobots during this foolish war. Does that mean you'd be willing to turn to the Autobots?" She asked blankly.

Grimacing, Knockout gave her a 'Are you fragging kidding' look as if she just said the most ridiculous thing ever. "Ah, no. Race me and I will answer your questions, Sweetwheels." He remarked putting his crooked smirk back on his holoform's face.

"How about no." Moonracer said with a growl.

Snorting, Knockout shrugged, looking away in disinterest. "Picky, picky. Fine. You want to play it that way." He said before squealing his tires as soon as the light turned green. He sped off down the street, leaving tire tracks upon the pavement.

Moonracer watched him with a glower while Joe huffed. "Well, that was boring. How come you didn't race him? It might've been fun. I mean, I know he is one of the Savage Demons and all but racing Knockers can get exciting. He is the best racer in the demons. Even better than Duke." The human stated.

"I am not going to be goaded into whatever scheme he has cooked up, Joe. I told you, he is dangerous." Moonracer answered as she started driving.

"Yeah but...huh?" Joe suddenly cut off when they heard a loud revving of an engine. She sucked in a breath in alarm to see a very fast red and silver Venom GT coming back.

Moonracer slowed down, stiffening with her own alarm to see Knockout coming back. She couldn't figure out why he was coming back and so fast. But it didn't look good.

Especially when the Ex-Con moved into the lane she was in.

Stiffening and slamming on her brakes, the Autobot femme prepared for the worse. She was already clicking her gears, ready to transform if she needed to. She watched as Knockout suddenly swerved back into the lane ad slammed on his brakes so he could spin aroundin a full 360, halting right next to her and Joe, rather close to them. His passenger door swinging open, barely inches from Joe's leg, causing her to flinch.

"What the fuck, Knockers?! What're you playing at, asshole?!" Joe snapped as she swung her leg over Moonracer to stand up and glare at Knockout's holoform.

"What are you doing?!" Moonracer was snapping at the same time.

Knockout just smirked at them both as he leaned out of his real from, lashing out and grabbing Joe's wrist. He barely had to tug to pull her in and drag her screaming and thrashing into his car form. "Now, you have a reason to concur my request, Sweetwheels." He merely said before slamming his passenger door and squealing his wheels as he jolted forward.

"KNOCKOUT!" Moonracer snarled as she quickly activated her holoform and kicked into turbo speed to chasing him down. She could not believe him! He had kidnapped Joe, a human out in the broad day light where people could have seen. Not to mention, who knew what he was going to do with her! She needed to stop him, even if he made her nervous or not!

Speeding down the road after Knockout, Moonracer kicked it into high gear, knowing she needed to catch him before he got too far with Joe. She didn't know what in Primus' name he was playing at but she wasn't going to be playing his games. Not when it endangered a human's life. She was going to make him regret taking her charge like he had.

"You asshole, Knockers! Stop the car and let me out! Now!" Joe snapped as she glared at the good looking form of the Ex-Decepticon.

Knockout didn't even spare her a glance but instead looked into his rear view mirror to see that Moonracer was chasing after him. He smirked to himself, nodding his approval. "That's right, Sweetwheels. Come save the puny human." He muttered mostly to himself before he grimaced as if he had been struck to see Joe was now kicking at his dash board. His human eyes narrowed dangerously at her. "You better knock that off, Ferreira. If you crack or even scratch my dash board, I'm going to..." He hissed.

Joe gritted her teeth and gave his dashboard an extra hard kick, which did groan in protest under the impact. "You'll do what?! Moonracer is so going to kick your ass, you stupid prick!" She snarled at him raising her foot to kick again.

However, the seatbelts snapped around her and swung around her and the leather seats, pinning her down to it. A band of metal snapped around her feet to keep her from kicking at him again, pinning them down to the floor. She shrieked in alarm and rage as she found herself unable to keep kicking out at him. She could only turn a glare onto his human form, who was glaring right back at her, his burning red eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Do it again, and I'll find something to break on you." Knockout warned before he snapped his head back around just as Moonracer sped up right beside him. He sent her a cool smirk, giving her a nod in greeting. "Hi, Sweetwheels. Ready to race me then?" He called to her.

"Knockout! Let Joe go now! This isn't funny!" Moonracer snapped, her human form glaring over at him with a strand of black hair snapping out from beneath her hot pink helmet.

Knockout just grinned at her but didn't answer verbally. He, instead, screeched his tires as he sped up, plowing through a busy intersection, causing many other drivers having to slam on their brakes. He heard Moonracer swear loudly as she quickly followed him. He just glanced at one of his mirrors, watching her chasing after him. He was definitely going to give her a run for her energon, that's for sure. And he was going to so enjoy this.

Speeding down the streets of Tuscan was definitely something dangerous in doing but Moonracer didn't have a choice as she chased after Knockout as he weaved in and out of the traffic, earning vulgar language and many shouts from other drivers. She followed after him, her optics glaring after him as she moved around many other cars at a high speed. She was surprised that there weren't cops chasing after them yet. She wondered if they even knew...

Suddenly there came loud sirens and revving engines from behind her. She grimaced at her earlier thoughts as she glanced back through her mirrors to see a Dodge Charger Police car now speeding after her and Knockout.

'Well, so much for that.' Moonracer thought miserably before snapping her attention forward again and seeing Knockout slamming on his brakes so he could make a sharp turn around a corner. She felt her intakes stall as she was forced to do the same, spinning in a full circle in the process before kicking it right after Knockout as he sped down the street. She needed to stop him before someone got hurt. She could see him weaving in and out of traffic with skills that no human could even imagine making and not even getting scratched.

Together, both Transformers sped down the many streets of Tuscan until they came to the outskirts of the city. Moonracer immediately saw what he was doing. He was leading her out of the city, away from the public. It was probably a better idea to getting away from the people of the city. If a fight did break out between them, it would mean no one would get hurt.

*Moonracer! This is Chromia! I just picked up a report from the Police Scanners about a hot pink motorist and a red and silver sports car street racing through Tuscan! Please tell me that's not you!*Came Chromia's transmission.

Moonracer groaned as she weaved out from behind a minivan and sped after Knockout as he finally broke out of the city limits and was speeding down the high way away from the public. 'Wished I could, Chromia!But it is me and Knockout!He's taken Joe and goaded me into racing him! I'm trying to chase him down so I could get her back and make him regret even threatening her!' She shouted into her communications.

*Moonracer! Don't engage with Knockout by yourself! Wait till we get there! Speed up and see if you can't slow him down and stall him until Cliffjumper, Flare-Up and I can get there! Get Joe away from him! Protect her!* Chromia yelled through the transmission.

Moonracer sighed through her intakes before kicking it into a higher speed until she was nearly on Knockout's bumber. She needed to get him to stop, and preferably away from humans. "Knockout! Stop! NOW!" She yelled after him.

The only answer she got from him was a chuckle as he tweeked his mirrors to look back at her. "Aw, getting tired of playing already? Come on, Sweetwheels. I know you can do better than that!" He called back at her as he sped down the high way, where there weren't very many human traffic now.

Narrowing her hidden optics, Moonracer was fed up already with his little game. She was not going to enjoy this at all. She knew it might piss him off, and possibly endanger Joe a little. She could only pray to Primus that Knockout didn't react how she might think he would. But then there was a possibility that he wouldn't. She just hoped that he would react how she hoped. It was a big risk she was about to take but she hoped it wouldn't go bad.

Speeding up, Moonracer brought her front tire dangerously closer to Knockout's bumper and just like she thought, she saw and felt him stiff as his mirrors snapped so he could look back at her. "Stop, Knockout, or I will scratch your lovely paint on your aft!" She snapped.

Knockout's engine ground rather angrily before he snapped into a different direction, making his way towards the highway ramp. Moonracer could only follow, keeping very close to him, allowing him to feel the heat of her hot tires. They sped down off the public road towards a more secluded area where she backed away for a moment, sensing his transformation locks snapping into place. She knew what he was about to do. It was about time, really. She could only follow him on a more secluded road, which happened to be a dirt road and away from prying human eyes.

Once a good deal away from the high way and away from where humans could see them, Knockout slammed on his brakes, drifting across the dirt road until he was slow enough to throw open his passenger side door to dump Joe out onto the road without getting too scrapped up.

Moonracer slammed on her brakes, sweeping to the side before she clicked loudly and began to transform into her bipedal form, swinging out her cannon to aim right at Knockout as he began to transform, himself. She watched through narrowed blue optics as his transformation didn't take more than fifteen seconds before he was standing up to his full height, which was a good deal taller and bulkier than her. He was probably about the same size as the Autobot youngling, Bumblebee.

But unlike any of the others she ever met, he was rather smoother in frame, slender with wide shoulders where his wheels were folded onto his back. His shoulders were more like sharp points sticking out to the sides. His brilliant red helm looked a little elfish like and even had small silver points sticking out to the sides like an elf's ears. His face plates were a smooth silver from under his helm. And within his helm, his glowing ruby optics glittered mischieviously as they trained right on her. He was smirking at her, as if he had planned this the entire time.

(ooc: Basically, I'm trying to make him look just like he does in Transformers Prime.)

"Well, since you want to play like that." Knockout's smooth, still british accented voice spoke out with only a metallic hint to it as he stood up, much taller than Moonracer.

Moonracer glared at him, balanced well on her one wheel while her cannon was trained on him. She took a quick chance of glancing down near Knockout's triangular peds to see Joe still on the ground, staring wide eyed up at his back. She was definitely startled by what she was witnessing. "Joe! Get away from him! Get to cover! And stay out of the way!" The Autobot femme could only call out to her.

Joe hesitated as she remained staring up at Knockout's back, who then twisted around to glance down at her from over his shoulder. She froze to see what he really looked like and looked taken back by his very face. She arched an eyebrow and quirked her startled frown before she looked over at Moonracer. "Hey, Moonracer. Now I can see why you were so hesitant about fighting him before. He's actually not that bad looking. For a robot." She called over as she pushed herself to her feet.

If she could, Moonracer would have sweat dropped as she gave Joe a 'Are you for real?' while Knockout suddenly grinned down at Joe before he turned his attention back onto the hot pink femme. "Oh, now I definitely like her. She's got good taste." He remarked before taking a few steps towards the Autobot femme. "So, what now? You made me stop. So what's your big plan?" He asked smugly.

Moonracer didn't answer but waved at Joe to get out of the way, who shrugged and quickly did what she was ordered. The Autobot femme waited till he was out of the way before she snapped her full attention back to Knockout, who had his arms folded and was looking patiently at her. "All right. Now that Joe's out of the way," Moonracer said before she snapped herself into a stance, as if she was ready to fight.

Snorting, Knockout looked impatiently away from her before he shrugged and dropped his arms. "All right, Sweetwheels. Since you really want to go that round." He remarked before smirking back at her. "Let's dance!"

Moonracer snapped forward, her cannon going off immediately as she moved to attack the former Decepticon, who had no problem moving out of the way, ducking out of from under her cannon fire. He dove forward, keeping that irritating smirk on his face as he moved towards her, swinging his arm towards her chassis as if to hit her. She moved quickly back, avoiding his swipe towards her before snapping up her cannon again to aim right into his pretty and vain face, only to sharply stall her intakes when he swung up an arm, catching hers with his servos and swung his other arm around her waist, pulling her right up against him. She looked wide eyed up into his ruby optics, which were still irritatingly glittering with mischief. She realized he was enjoying this just a little too much.

"Sweetwheels, you haven't changed very much, have you?" Knockout taunted her as he looked her right in the optics.

Moonracer growled at him as she glared right back into his. She knew he was playing with her. He wasn't taking her seriously. Oh, was she going to make him regret underestimating her. She relaxed in his grip and smiled almost flirty like at him, making his optics light up in surprise. All the while, she crooked her finger towards him to come closer to her. And he couldn't help but do so, moving his face closer to hers. "Oh, but, Knockout, here is a little secret. I have changed a lot." She said smirking back at him, making him tilt his head and look curiously at her.

And then she snapped her head forward, slamming into his face.

"Argh!" Knockout yelped, now releasing her and stumbling backwards as he slapped both servos over his face. He stumbled backwards until he caught his footing and lowered his servos, frowning not amused as he shifted one arm so he could look in one of his mirrors. And to his disappointment and bemusement, he had a nice sized scratch on his helm.

"Maybe that'll teach you not to underestimate me." Moonracer growled as she shifted into a stance again. She was definitely expecting him to be furious now. She knew she would have to be ready for anything he could and would throw at her.

But instead, Knockout smirked as he touched the scratch in his helm before looking at her. "Ooooh, you little glitch. Should have seen that one coming." He chuckled darkly. He did sound annoyed but not entirely angry as she thought he might.

Moonracer glared at him, her stance still firm and stable. "What did you expect me to do?! Kiss you?!" She growled sarcastically.

"Yeah, actually." Knockout answered nonchalantly and looked smug about it.

That had Moonracer stiffening, looking at him as if he was crazy. She couldn't believe he just said that. Why would he ever...?

Her moment of surprise was enough for Knockout to dive forward, swinging an arm towards her middle, once again. He was well aware of her stiffening up again before raising her cannon to shoot. He just smirked as he slid to a stop next to her and threw himself side wards as she fired her cannon. He felt the heat of her blast miss his helm fins by inches as he swung around to behind her, his arm locking around her waist. He only had to give a light pull to bring her against his chassis, which took her by surprise again.

With that opportunity, the sadistic medic lashed out and caught her blaster arm, holding it stretched outward to the side and away from him.

Moonracer was stiff as a pole, her optics wide as she felt her back hit his chassis and mid section. She honestly didn't know what he was trying to pull with her but it was obvious he was playing her and she was falling for every trap he obviously kept laying down for her. "You, bastard!" She managed to growl as she turned her head around to glare up at him before trying to jerk and thrash out of his grip. But he held her firm, keeping her from doing so. "Let go of me!"

Knockout just chuckled as he held her arm and waist firmly in his servos, looking down at her. "May be a bastard, Sweetwheels, but I am a gorgeous one. Now, may I have this dance?" He asked flirtatiously. And then he loosened his grip around her waist, swinging her outward.

Gasping in alarm as she went spinning, Moonracer braced herself for the impact on the ground bit suddenly was tugged to a halt, keeping her from falling. She looked wide optic'd back at Knockout and found him still gripping her blaster arm, while actually POSING as if he was waltzing with her!

Growing, Moonracer pointed her caught blaster arm at him and fired again, hoping it would actually hit him.

But that didn't work so well when he jerked his frame back, allowing it to slide right in front of him and missing. He grinned at her before giving her a tug towards him again, which she refused to cooperate by locking her tire. It didn't seem to matter to him as he dove forward and scooped her up with his arm, lifting her up so her tire was off the ground. He yanked her close to his chassis again and bent forward, forcing her to bend backwards in an almost...suggestive pose.

"My, Sweetwheels, you are a lovely dancer." Knockout snickered.

Moonracer glared at him, tugging at her trapped blaster arm, which was once again stretched out and away from his face. "Yeah?" She reached up with her other hand to grip at his armor. "Let me show you this dance move then." She said before kicking her wheel up and planting it against his midsection before spinning her tire fast and hard against him.

Yelping, Knockout had no choice but to toss her away, sending her in rapid circles away from him. He groaned, looking down t the black tire tracks on his frame, not pleased. "Primus, Sweetums. What do you call that move? You really are an aggressive one, aren't you?" He remarked sourly at her.

Sniffing, Moonracer straightened and raised her blaster to point in the air while planting a hand on her hip plates. "I call that dance move Burnout. And I am not as aggressive as my sister." She said in a pointing way.

Blinking his optics in surprise, Knockout spun his helm around when he heard roaring engines coming towards them and nearly missed the leaping icy blue metal of fury lunging at him with a tire ready to plant into his face. He ducked low just in time as Chromia came down hard on the desert ground, screeching to a halt next to her twin.

Only then came the next pair of motorcycle engines as Cliffjumper and Flare-Up raced towards the other two, Twitch being on the mech. He was immediately jumped off as soon as Cliffjumper stopped and hurried over to where Joe was hiding behind some rocks, looking quite amused by Moonracer and Knockout's dance fighting.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Ironaft's little sparkmate and her two dumb minions." Knockout remarked now chuckling darkly as he took a few steps back.

Chromia, Cliffjumper and Flare-Up quickly transformed and pointed their blasters and cannons at him, glaring furiously. Flare-Up had raised her arms, where her tires began to spin furiously until their caught fire.

"Moonracer, are you all right?! Did he hurt you?!" The icy blue femme demanded, glaring at Knockout.

Moonracer shook her head, keeping her blaster raised. "No. He was toying with me." She remarked sourly.

"Well, let him toy with these babies!" Cliffjumper growled as he locked and loaded his cannons, ready to fire on Knockout at Chromia's command. He had been itching to fight this creep since last night and now it was his chance.  
Chromia just narrowed her blue glare onto the red and silver Ex-Decepticon, watching his every move. "Not yet, Cliff. We still don't know which side he's on. If he's with the Decepticons, the Minicons or if he'll join up with us like..." she was saying.

Knockout scoffed loudly as he reached up and touched his side, opening a compartment there. "Puh-lease, psycho femme whose mated to the trigger happy Autoaft. As if I'd ever join the Autocretins. The only one of you lot I can stand is your hot sister next to you." He remarked sending a wink at Moonracer, who drew back as her fans clicked on. "Now, why don't we cut to the chase, shall we? You want info, right? Well, you'll have to beat me first." He said as he pulled a foot long rod out from his compartment.

The Autobots stiffened, now snapping to attention and looking very alert as they glared at the rod.

"What the hell is that suppose to be?! A slap stick?" Twitch asked snappishly as he was not happy to have learned that Knockout had pretty much kidnapped Joe.

Knockout smirked devilishly as he held up the rod in on servo. "A slap stick? Hardly." And he pressed a button neat the middle, to which the ends snapped outward, growing ten feet wide and sharp looking prongs snapped out, looking more like teeth on one end. Electricity crackled to life like a taser, dancing around the end of the now staff looking weapon. "More like, a cattle prod. And guess what, fleshy? You are the cattle." He said sadistically amused.

All at once, everything seemed to jump to life as the Autobots opened fire onto Knockout, who dodged to the side, twirling the rod in many rapid circles, making a solid electric loop to his side. It was almost hypnotizing to Joe and Twitch to watch the spinning rod.

"Scatter! Attack him from all sides! But neutralize, not terminate! We still need to find out what he's doing here!" Chromia barked her orders as she immediately sped backwards and around Knockout, moving to his left side.

Cliffjumper and Flare-Up ran in different directions trying to get behind him and to his right while Moonracer just remained standing right where she was at, blaster cannon aimed and locked to fire.

Knockout smirked as he quickly followed each with his ruby optics before deciding to go for Cliffjumper first. He charged towards him, swinging his staff at an arch above the mech's head.

Cliffjumper ducked and then rolled head over feet before coming to a crouch and snapping his canon up towards Knockout. He, however, wasn't fast enough for the sadistic medic to kicking out fast and hard at him and instead was hit across the face plates. Spinning and sprawling across the desert floor, Cliffjumper only yelped in surprise and pain before coming to a stop on his front. "Slaggit!" He groaned angrily as he slammed his fists down in the ground before jumping back to his feet.

At that time, Knockout now had to put his attention onto Flare-Up as she screeched in outrage to watching her mechfriend being kicked like a dog by Knockout. She growled swinging her arm outward, sending her flaming wheels flying at him with a chain clinking loudly behind it.

Knockout ducked down into a graceful crouch, gripping his staff with bot servos, smirking as if amused. "Sparklings play." He merely stated before thrusting the staff upward at the chain right above his head, catching the links between the zapping prongs.

There was a loud pop as the electrified rod shot into the chains and a spray of sparks shot down the links towards Flare-Up, who yelped, "Shit!"

"Flare-Up!" Chromia, Cliffjumper and Moonracer cried as their youngest companion was struck by Primus knew how much voltage bolts from Knockout's dangerous weapon.

Flare-Up screeched as high voltage coursed through her frame, making her jerk and thrash as she was electrified for only a few seconds before collapsing to the ground in a metal heap, flaming tires dying and chains now loose and motionless on the ground.

"Flare-Up!" Cliffjumper roared in fear and rage before jerking around to glare hatefully at the smirking Knockout as he lightly waved his electro prod to free its prongs from the useless chains. "YOU SON OF A GLITCH! I'LL KILL YOU!" The Autobot snarled before charging forward.

"Moonracer! Check Flare-Up! Scan the damages!" Chromia barked before charging forward to help her angered friend. "Cliffjumper, don't engage him alone, slaggit!"

Moonracer sped over to where Flare-Up had fallen and bent down beside her. She immediately had her scanner out and roaming over the young femme's sparking form before venting in relief at the results. *Chromia, Flare is fine. It was a low setting charge. Just strong enough to overload her systems and knock her into recharge. It wasn't enough to damage her severely.* she sent the quick report to Chromia.

*Good! Now stand by until you see a good opening and EMP his aft next like he just did to Flare-Up! And make it hurt!* Chromia sent back, growling angrily as she and Cliffjumper were practically dancing back and forth with Knockout, firing and missing with their blasters and cannons.

*Acknowledged.* Moonracer answered and stood up, watching the fight carefully.

There was doubt whatsoever that Knockout was fast on his peds and well flexible in his evasive skills. He dodged each blast coming at him. He leaped when Cliffjumper tried taking out his knee guards. He skillfully twirled out of the way when Chromia tried to shoot him. He was a lot better than they thought he'd be.

And all the two humans could do was sit on a rock and watch with their jaws dropped. It was honestly better than some 3D action movie at the Megaplex.

"I wish I brought popcorn and sodas for us." Twitch remarked as he watched the fight.

Joe made a face and looked at him with a 'Really?" look before shrugging.

Knockout twirled the prod skillfully in his servo before spinning on his peds and thrusting the sparking end of the staff to behind him where it slammed into Cliffjumper's mid section. "Kablam." The medic chuckled before shooting a charge into the Autobot mech, causing him to cry out in pain as he went flying back.

Swinging his free arm over the end of the prod and twirling it until it was on his other side, sparking end pointing at Chromia as she lunged at him. He shot another charge at her, which nearly clipped her as she spun in the air. It missed her by inches but caused her to slid across the dirt floor and land on her aft.

Growling, Chromia looked up to see the sparking prongs aimed right into her face. She tensed up, glaring at Knockout.

"And another KO goes to moi." Knockout said smugly.

Suddenly there was a series of clinks before something struck Knockout's shoulder plates, arm and then down and around his chassis and circled again around him a second time. He merely blinked in surprise, looking down to find chains wrapped around him twice and the ends lead to behind him.

"Huh?"

Turning around, Knockout looked surprised to see Flare-Up back on her feet after ten minutes of being down, holding one end of her chains. And Moonracer held the other, smirking and waving coyly at him with one hand before gripping the chain with both.

His ruby optics widened as he looked back down at the chains around him and even to his arm, holding the electro prod. He caught on very fast to what their plan was and it made him squeak unattractively as he looked at them, waving his free servo. "Nonononononono! Not the paint job! Not that!" He yelped.

Moonracer and Flare-Up merely glanced at one another, smirked and then pulled the chains hard so they would rub hard and dig into his frame, leaving long round scratches all over his chassis with the sound of screeching metal. And as if that wasn't bad enough, Knockout's arm was slammed against his chassis, electric prod and all.

There was a loud bzzzzzt and pop as Knockout's entire frame was zapped the pit out of by the end of his own weapon, causing him to stiffen straight up before he creaked once as he fell over with a loud metallic crash.

"Let's see how you like being zapped into recharge, aftpipe." Flare-Up growled as she dropped her chains to the ground and folded her arms in a pout.

The only answer from Knockout was a sizzling groan before his optics offlined.

Blowing out a vent, Chromia stood up on her wheel, looking down at Knockout's sparking form. "Nice work, Moony, Flare." She said before twirling her cannon back into her arm.

Joe and Twitch, finally, walked over, staring at Knockout's fallen form with unease. "Is he...is he de-dead?" He asked worriedly.

Moonracer, dropping her own end of the chain and rolled over, activating her scanner. She scanned his systems for a second before reaching down and carefully sliding the somewhat large electro prod out of his servos, just to keep his deadly weapon away from him. "No. He's not dead. He's just offline." She then shared a smirk with Chromia as they thought the same thing. "Knocked out." They said at the same time.

Flare-Up, Joe and Twitch had to join them in laughing at their somewhat twisted joke.

"Well, let's wrap these chains around him so when he does came back online, he won't be doing very much moving around." Chromia said as she placed her hands on her hip plates. "When he comes back online, he better have some answers. Or we will leave him out here for a dirt bath until he is ready to talk."

The other two femmes nodded in understanding before settling to work. It would not be too long, they hoped, before Knockout was awake again. And he was definitely not going to be happy of the state his frame was in now.

They could already hear him screaming bloody murder about it.


	8. Done Deal

"ARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH! MY BEAUTIFUL BODY! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO IT?!" A shrill screech echoed right off the rocky hills nearby and echoed off into the distance.

Four Autobots winced at the outrage shriek that had even came out of the so called sadistic, twisted medic while Joe and Twitch yelped, slapping their hands over their more sensitive, organic ears, cowering away from the source making such an awful sound.

"LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO MY BEAUTIFUL FRAME! I AM HIDEOUS NOW! DO KNOW HOW LONG IT TAKES TO BUFF THIS SCRAP OUT?! BY MYSELF?!" Knockout roared from where he was sitting, his arms crossed over his chassis and pinned tightly and uncomfortably near his shoulder plates. Even his legs were locked together to keep him from getting up.

But it sure didn't stop him from glaring.

Chromia huffed impatiently and folded her arms across her curvy chassis. She couldn't believe he was making such a big fuss like this. Yeah, she knew he wouldn't have been happy. He was worse than Sunstreaker, ad that yellow vain psycho was nuts about keeping his frame spotless and scratch less.

Cliffjumper huffed, standing beside the three femmes and before the former Decepticon. "Primus, it's not like you don't buff every day. Don't psycho vain nuts like you like buffing your selves? Like some kind of OCD guys and all?" He asked impatiently.

Knockout narrowed his ruby optics to deadly slits at the Autobot mech. "Slag off, sparkrat! I don't buff every fragging day! Only when I get scratched! It is such a pain in the aft having to try and buff out your back struts! By! Your! Self! It's not you would know, anyway! Look at the state of your armor! It's like you want to look like a fragging dirty pitspawn! You are so ugly, your femme creator must have cried the day you were sparked!" He snarled.

"Oh, you want to start femme creator jokes, Con?! I got so many better insults than you could ever even think of! Well try this one on for size, your femme creator was so fat that everybot thought she was Unicron himself!"

"Puh-lease. Is that all you can come up with?" Sneered Knockout, not looking impressed at all. "Your femme creator looks like Unicron's aft and no one could tell if it was her face or her aft they were looking at."

"Oh, yeah?! Well your femme creator looks like Igorn Ray from Frankenbot!"

"Your femme creator is Frankenbot." Knockout countered with another sneer.

"ARGH! Well, your femme creator is so ugly that...!"

"Alright! That's enough! From BOTH OF YOU!" Chromia snapped having to place a hand on Cliffjumper's chassis, pushing hard to keep him away from Knockout. She gave her young Autobot a warning for trying to move around her, forcing him to back off. She turned back towards Knockout, who lift his helm defiantly. "Knockout, I am going to say this once. Answer our questions, without lying! And we will let you go so you can fix your frame and paint job. The sooner you tell us something, the sooner we let you go. Deal?" She asked, her tone very hard.

Knockout looked away from her, sticking his now scratched chin plates in the air. "Bite a sparkstink's bumper, glitch! I am not saying anything to you until you unchain me and let me fix my frame!" He snapped impatiently.

Chromia growled loudly in rage, throwing her hands in the air. "Primus! I wish we could just kill him!" She snarled.

Taking a deep intake, Moonracer stepped closer, having to duck down only a little to look Knockout in the ruby optics, which he turned furiously on her. "Knockout, I am sorry we ruined your frame. But you weren't giving us a choice. We were in a fight. So we were scratched and scuffed up to. Besides, the earlier deal was if we beat you, you would tell us. We beat you. Now please tell us and we will let you go so you can fix your frame." She said almost softly.

Knockout glowered at her before looking impatiently away from her, causing her to sigh and turn away. "Well...as long as you say please." He suddenly spoke up, making her brighten and turn back to look at him. "So what do you want to know?"

Now they were getting somewhere.

"Okay, for starters, how long have you been on Earth?" Chromia asked, folding her arms.

Knockout looked blankly at her before shrugging dumbly. "A year. Since before, word came out that Megatron was back from the dead. I, like, a few others hadn't believed he had been dead in the first place. We came to Earth to see for ourselves." He explained in a bored tone. "By the time we got here, he was alive and kicking."

"Others? Who did you arrive with?" Chromia asked frowning with them.

"Dead End, Breakdown, Roulette, Nemesis Strika. I don't know. Breakdown is the only one I ever even talked to. There were probably eight of us arriving at the same time. But I wasn't exactly paying attention to the details." Knockout said impatiently. He only briefly noticed the Autobots carefully sharing a glance at the mentioning of Nemesis Strika. But he didn't bother to pry.

"Where are the others? Why aren't they here with you?" Cliffjumper asked and earned a dark look from the red and silver former Con. He realized that there was no way that Knockout was going to answer his questions and it agitated him to the gears. He even started forward but Moonracer repeated the question to keep him at bay.

"Have no clue. When we came Earth bound, we ran into some meteor storm and was seperated. Plus Nemesis Strika went veering off on her own when we caught an Autobot signal close by. I doubt all of us came down. From where I was falling, it looked like only me and Dead End came down. Breakdown and Roulette and whoever was with us veered off away from Earth." Knockout answered darkly.

"You told Cliffjumper you weren't a Decepticon anymore. So...what are you? Neutral?" Chromia asked shifting her weight.

Knockout shrugged. "Sure. Whatever." He answered shortly.

"What made you quit the Decepticons? Why?" Moonracer asked now being carefully.

Knockout huffed but looked right at her. "Normally I'd say, none of your business, but since it's you, Sweetwheels, I think you can take a wild guess of why." He nodded when Moonracer stiffened. "Yeah. Him. Shockwave was pissing me off at every turn that he could. He kept telling me I was a mediocre medic. He said I couldn't tell one servo to the other. Said my weak, slow processor couldn't contribute to the Decepticon cause like his could. Pissed me off so I shot him in the aft bearings and took off. He'd have come after me if not for Starscream. The Commander and I didn't always get along but we got along better than any one else did." He frowned when the Autobots glanced at one another with grimaces. He was starting to get the feeling that the Autobots knew something that they weren't sharing. But he still didn't pry.

"So, what are you doing here? On Earth, I mean. Why are you here?" Flare-Up was the one to ask.

Knockout glowered at her but shrugged. "Last place I heard Starscream was at. I went looking for the slagger. And by the time I found him, Megatron was up and going. And it didn't help that Shockwave was here. So I bailed out. Didn't even let them know I was here." He answered lazily. "I am not going anywhere near that aftpipe, Shockwave. He's known to hold grudges a long time and after shooting him, he is going to be wanting my pretty head on a shelf. I am sorry. But I happen to be in love with my own head right where it's at."

The Autobots rolled their optics, having expected an answer like that one. It was no surprise to them whatsoever.

"So, you came to Arizona to join a human gang?" Chromia asked, her arms folded and her stance shifting.

Knockout shook his head, looking smug. "Well, not quite. I started off in Miami and ended up in a street race. I totally blew them lame brain humans out of the water, sort of speak too. None of them could keep up with me. I always did like racing the circuits back on Cybertron. When I found out about the street races here on Earth, it couldn't be helped. I was hooked. Eventually I made my way here to Tuscan. Where I met Duke." He remarked.

The Autobots stared at him for a moment, frowning. It made their processors tweak a little with a thought.

"He doesn't know what you are, does he?" Chromia asked suspiciously.

Again, Knockout shook his head, smirking at her. "No, not really. I mean, he might have a clue of what I am. But I've been playing him like a turbo gaska. He thinks I am human." He reassured them without really reassuring them.

"So, this whole time, all of those races you won." Twitch was the one to say, now moving closer. "It's all because of what you are, isn't it? You have rarely lost a single race besides a few. Did you do those losses on purpose?"

Knockout smirked at him, shifting his pinned arms a little. "Of course I did. You puny humans could never truly beat me in an honest to Primus, full out race. It bugged the slag out of me but there were a few races I had to throw in. Can't win every single one, can I? It draws too much attention. And I am not exactly okay with that. I went neutral for a reason. And you all know the slagger's name. If he got an inkling I was here, it'd be my aft he chased down."

"So what now then? What are we going to do with him? He kind of answered all of our questions. So should we let him go now?" Moonracer asked frowning at Chromia.

Chromia paused for a moment to think before she smirked and shook her head much to the annoyance of the Ex-Con. "No, I say we leave him out here for a day. Let him think about our new proposition that I know he will try to refuse." She remarked.

Knockout glared at her. "What proposition?" He asked darkly, shifting his arms again, as if uncomfortable.

"Well, here is the deal. You are supposedly the best racer in the Savage Demons, right?" Chromia asked looking at Twitch for the answer, who nodded and shrugged at the question. "Well, then it's obvious that Duke probably values your opinion more than he does with Twitch. So here it is. Help us end the gang rights and rivalries between the Angels and the Demons and we let you go." She said firmly.

Snorting as if finding that hilarious, Knockout tilted his head before holding up one servo. "You have one flaw with that one, trigger-happy glitch. I don't need you to let me go." He received many uneasy, suspicious looks. "Did you seriously forget I am a medic?" He asked sarcastically. And then came a light click as a compartment on his forearm snapped open, releasing an already spinning saw. It spun and screamed loudly as it struck the chains keeping him restrained, causing a deafening screech of metal as it began slicing through the chains as if slicing through wood.

There was a loud snap and Knockout was shrugging off the chains from his frame while pushing him to his peds. He looked smugly back at the now very tense four Autobots and two humans gaping at him in alarm.

"Here's a tip, crazy femme. Medics, like me, are known to be carrying around buzz saw upgrades for medical capabilities. Capiche? Now try that again. I help you, I get what?" The medic asked in a sarcastic, warning tone.

There was an uneasy pause as the four Autobots stared at him, their weapons already shifting out and readying again for another rumble with him. They didn't know if they could trust him now that he was freed from the chains. They were expecting him to attack them at any second. That is until Moonracer straightened and shifted her blaster cannon away. "Okay. You help us, we don't call Soundwave and tell him to send a transmission to Shockwave about you being here."

Everyone looked at her in surprise, not believing how bold she just sounded.

Knockout, however, frowned, looking confused. "And why would Soundwave care what you would say? He's with Megatron. He wouldn't..." he cut himself off when the Autobots glanced uncertainly at one another with knowing looks. "What? Why do I get the feeling there's something you're not telling me?"

Again, the Autobots glanced at one another, before Chromia nodded at Moonracer to go ahead and tell him.

Moonracer nodded back and turned back towards Knockout. "There was an uprising in the Decepticon ranks a few days before we even came to Arizona. Optimus and a few others were looking for certain human called Cole Keller when they were approached by Barricade and Groundhog. Seems that the Megatron that came back to life wasn't Megatron at all. He was a Minicon General called Galvatron. And he's a servant of Unicron." She explained and explained what happened with the Decepticons.

All throughout the explanation, Knockout was looking way with a faraway look. He didn't look happy to hear that there were Minicons on Earth now. But he didn't interrupt as he listened to Moonracer explain about what happened to Starscream. He frowned rather darkly to hear to hear about it actually.

Once Moonracer was done explaining that Soundwave and the Decepticons had made an agreement with the Autobots, she asked the inevitable question. "So, where do you stand with this? Would you join Soundwave and the others to help us?"

For a moment, Knockout considered it, his arms folded across his chassis. He seemed to come up with something because he nodded. "Unfortunately, no. I pulled myself out for a reason. I will admit, I am tired of fighting in this stupid war. I don't plan on getting back in on it. What happens now is on you lot." He remarked before looking at the slightly disappointed look on Moonracer's face plates. He smirked, coyly. "Awww, don't look so sad, Sweets. It is my choice. And you Autobots would have to respect that more than everyone else. But if it'll make me see your pretty smile again, I will help you with this whole mess that the Angels and Demons started. Yes, Duke does listen to me because he can't afford not to. I am the best racer he has and all it will take is a threat to quit the Demons." He stated.

"Yeah, about that." Joe said frowning suspiciously. "You didn't happen to suggest to Duke to causing Vince's wreck during last month's race, did you?"

Knockout frowned at her but shook his head. "No, that wasn't me. But I do know how did. And it wasn't any of the Demons." He remarked.

Now everyone was frowning. That didn't sound too good. If someone had sabotaged Duke's possible feelings towards Vince Ferreira, they needed to know who.

"Who was it?" Joe asked now deadly serious.

Shrugging, Knockout folded his arms. "It was one of the St..." he was saying.

But before he could even answer, there came a buzzing sound as well some music, which everyone recognized as Crazy Bitch by Buckcherry. It cut Knockout off, making him frown and look around before his and the Autobots' optics fall onto Joe.

Grimacing, the human female dug into her jacket and pulled out her cell phone. She took one look at the ID and cringed. "Shit! It's Vince! All of this excitement made me forget about what we were supposed to do!" She quickly moved over to Moonracer, who seemed to understand what needed to be done. She quickly folded back down into her bike form and kicked on her engine, making it sound like she was still going. Joe took the moment to sit back on her while flipping open her phone. "Hello?" She answered.

"Joe! Where the hell are you?! You should have been back an hour ago!" Vince's voice came from the ear piece.

Joe grimaced as she sat on Moonracer, somewhat between relaxed and tensed up. "Sorry. I got distracted. There was a car chase going on and the traffic had to be stopped because of it. I am still on my way to Beanz's." She said wisely.

"Fuck it, Joe! Forget about that! You need to come straight home, and fast!" Vince practically yelled.

"Look, I am sorry it's taking so long, Vince. But when cops..." Joe was saying.

"Officer Morris was just here, Joe!" Vince sharply cut her off, surprising her. "You have to come home now. Before I start freaking out." And he did sound somewhat uneasy and afraid.

It was enough to make Joe stiffen in alarm. She had heard Vince talk like that once and that was a long time ago. And that had been when their parents were killed in a shootout years ago ad he had been forced to tell her and Deek. "Vi-Vince, what happened? What's wrong?" She asked now shaken.

And her tone had all of the Autobots tensed up. Knockout just looked curious.

There was a long pause.

"Come home, Joe. Now. No making any stops. I should tell you face to face. It will be better that way. And not when you're riding." Vince said gravely.

Joe felt as if her lungs were now being crushed and she had no breath. "Vince! Tell me now! What happened?! Does Deek know...!? Wait! Is it Deek?! Is he okay?!" She demanded.

Another dead pause before Vince sighed heavily. "No, he's not. Officer Morris reported to me that he was just emitted to the hospital, along with Rich. They had been jumped by the Demons, Joe. Rich is dead. And Deek is in the emergency room. I am on my way there now. You just go home. I will call you as soon as I..." he had been saying.

"I am on my way now! I'll meet you there!" Joe said abruptly before hanging up before Vince could argue. She was nearly completely white and there were fresh tears forming in her eyes. She was trembling hard that Moonracer could feel it well.

"What happened?" Chromia asked seriously while Twitch hurried over to Joe to wrap his arms around her.

Joe shakily looked up at her and then over at the others, and even Knockout. "It...it's Deek. Vince said he and Rich were jumped by the Savage Demons. They killed Rich and Deek is in the emergency room." She said shakily.

Knockout and Twitch both stiffened, looking alarmed. "No, that can't be right. I was just at the hangout. Everyone was still there, hung over as shit!" The human male yelped before looking suspiciously at Knockout. "Wait...except you. Did you...?"

"Hey, don't be looking at me, squishy." Knockout immediately demanded, raising his servos. "I was picking on Sweetwheels and her human pet practically all morning, remember? I haven't seen that human squish job, Deek since last night at the races."

Frowning seriously, Chromia looked at the others. "We need to get to the bottom of this now. Moonracer, take Joe to the hospital. Find out what happened. We will stand by and await for information." She immediately said before turning towards Knockout. "Are you serious about helping us, Knockout? You're not going to pull a fast one on us, will you?"

Knockout again raised his servos in his own defense. "Hey, I meant what I said. As long as you don't tell Soundwave or Shockwave or any of the others I am here, I will help you out. We have a deal on that part, all right?" He said grimly.

Chromia slowly nodded. "Okay then. It will be better if you and Twitch go back to the Demons and see if you can't find out if one of your gang members didn't miraculously go beat the slag out of Joe's brother. Cliffjumper, you obviously will be their back up. So soon as you know anything, report back in." She said firmly.

Knockout grimaced, looking himself over. "And you expect me to return to the Savage Demons, looking like this? Nah-uh. I'm not going back there looking like this. There are going to be questions." He said darkly.

"Tell them the half truth then. Say you were racing Joe and Moonracer and things got hairy. But we don't have time for your vain and pompous attitude right now, Knockout." Chromia growled at him.

Knockout glared at her before moving over to where his electro prod was sitting. He scooped it up and then slid it away into his side compartment. "Glitch, I take too much care into my own frame. Duke knows that I care about myself and my appearence, as well as my CAR'S appearence and I flip out every time a bug even lands on me. I am not going back until I get these marks buffed out and repainted. And since you did the damage, you can help me fix it." He growled stubbornly.

Chromia, Cliffjumper and Flare-Up started growling their engines but it was Moonracer who stopped the fight before it could break out. "Chromia, please. Just go with it for now. Like it or not, he is right. If he does go back, Duke will ask questions and if he says that he was racing Joe, it might cause problems. Especially if Vince finds out she just lied to him. Can you please just pretend its Ironhide just this once and help." She asked wearily.

Knockout smirked over at her. "See? At least one of you have reason. Knew you'd come around, Sweets." He said sending her a flirtatious wink. And once again, Moonracer and the other three sent him dark looks, though the hot pink femme had her fans click on again.

"I am not asking for your benefit, Knockout. It is just so we don't arouse suspicions like we already have. Now I need to take Joe to see her brothers and Cliff, you heard Chromia. At least take Twitch back." Moonracer said sounding tired.

Heaving a heavy vent, Chromia nodded, giving Knockout a bitter look. "You're right, Moon. You usually are the most analogical one of us. Like I said before, you really should try getting Prowl to start something with you. You two would be a pretty good pair."

Knockout looked disgusted and annoyed to hear that. He even started growling at the mere thought.

Moonracer huffed irritably and impatient, herself. "Prowl again, Chromia?! Look, I already told you. Prowl and I are not getting together like you hope. You are not winning the betting pool on this one. We have nothing in common other than our analogical thinking. Besides, he is the Second In Command. It would be...I don't know. Weird! And I am not getting with Hound either, Cliff, so don't even!" She growled when Cliffjumper started to say something. "No one interests me! Not now! Not when we have a war we are fighting." She said moodily before shooting a smug Knockout a look. "And that goes double for you!"

And with that, she had Joe grip her handlebars before she was off, kicking up dirt in the process.

"Yeesh." Cliffjumper said with a wince. "She wasn't happy at all, was she?"

Chromia sighed, shaking her head. "She's just...I don't know what to even say about it." She looked at Knockout, frowning. She didn't like this. But she and Flare-Up was stuck with helping him. "So...what and how do you expect us to help you with your make up? None of us comes with buffers and paint." She growled.

Knockout grinned before getting into his inside chassis compartments and pulled out two buffers and a can of car pain. "I am always prepared, psycho femme." He remarked, sarcastically, earning dangerous growls from the femmes while Cliffjumper and Twitch decided to sneak off before they got stuck with buffing duty.


	9. Next Step

It did not take long at all for Moonracer to get Joe to the hospital. They had pretty much sped through the entire city, trying to reach the hospital, wanting to find out what was going on.

As soon as they pulled into the emergency room, Joe was hopping off of the Autobot femme and started to jog towards the doors. She, however, paused before looking back at Moonracer. "Moonracer, come in with me. I can't do this by myself." She said weakly. Smiling fantly, Moonracer activated her holoform and was hurrying after her. She wouldn't let Joe doe something by herself if she couldn't handle it. She would be there to help her as much as she could.

Together, they practically ran into the building and up to a counter, where a nurse was on a phone, talking to someone. She didn't even seem to notice them at all as they approached. "Excuse me?" Joe asked hurriedly. She just wanted to find her brothers as fast as she could so she could find out what happened.

But the nurse didn't acknowledge her as she went on talking and it sounded as if she was setting up dinner plans for her and her boyfriend for that night.

Unfortunately for her, Joe didn't have patience and slapped her hands down hard on the counter makingnher jump and turn a glare onto her, holdingnup a finger again. "Excuse me!"

The nurse tried to ignore her and when on talking.

Joe now looked ready to start screaming at her. But it was Moonracer who acted before she could. She frowned sternly, taking a leaf out of Ratchet's book before reaching over and slamming her finger down on the hang up button. She definitely got a reaction.

"Hey! Excuse me! I was talking to...!" The nurse was saying.

Only to have a medical badge shoved right into her face as Moonracer glared at her. "No, you will excuse us! Instead of chattering on the phone about dinner plans, you will help us!" She said firmly.

The nurse glowered at her, not even glancing at the badge but instead of shoving it out of her face. "I said I would be with you in a minute!" She snapped.

"And you bitch...!" Joe started snapping.

"Excuse me? Is there a problem here?"

All three women turned to see an older doctor waking up, having seen the commotion. He was frowning at the two who had just arrived.

"Yes, there is! This bit...!" Joe was saying.

But Moonracer grabbed her arm and lightly pulled at her to keep her quiet. She held up her medical badge again and the doctor did look at it. "Nest Medical Officer Moonracer, Doctor..." she paused glancing at his name tag. "Doctor Powell. We were just trying to locate a patient that was just brought in and your receptionist rudely ignored us, instead making plans on a hospital phone when she should be doing her job." She said firmly.

The nurse, however, huffed and looked out raged. "Nest Medical Officer?! You made that up!" She snapped.

The doctor, however, raised a hand to silence her before taking the badge from Moonracer and showed it to the nurse. "Joy, take a good look at this badge." He sad calmly.

"But Doctor...!" Nurse Joy started.

"Take a look at the badge, Joy." Doctor Powell said firmly, his features very stern. He waited till she was looking at it before pointing at an insignia and military seal. "Memorize this marking. This is a very real badge. Issued with the US Military and by the Secretary of Defense, himself. Of course if you'd pay attention to staff meetings, instead of texting on your phone, you would known that!" He said seriously before handing the badge back to Moonracer! And looking calm. "Medical Officer Moonracer, please forgive Miss Terry. She did not mean to offend a high priority military officer such as yourself. Now, how can I help you?"

Moonracer tucked her badge away ad lift her head higher, looking highly professonal. "You just had a patient brought in who was ambushed and beaten severely. Deek Ferreira? This is his sister, Johanna Ferreira. Her oldest brother should be here." She said smoothly.

"Ah, yes. You mean Dimitrec Ferreira. Also goes by Deek. He is still in ICU. Vincent Ferreira is in deed here andnis being questioned by a police detective. Please, come this way." The doctor said motioning to the two females.

Moonracer kept a hold of Joe's arm as they hurried down the hall after Doctor Powell. She could feel her human charge shaking with heavy emotion and she felt bad for her. She wished this wouldn't have happened. And in a way, she prayed to Primus that it hadn't been the Demons who did this to Deek. If it had been, the pit wasgoing to explode in the war between the Angels and the Demons. She just knew that Vince wasn't going to take this lightly.

Finally arriving in a waiting room, Moonracer had no choice but to let Joe go when they saw Vince talking to an officer. She watched as her new huma friend rushed over to her brother, catching his attention ad their arms were thrown around each other.

"Joe, thank god." Vince said sounding tired as he hugged his sister close to him.

Joe, who was now openingly sobbing, pulled away, looking up at Vince. "Wh-what happened, Vince?! What happened to Deek and Rich?!" She demanded.

Vince's face darkened as he kept an arm around her but looked to Officer Morris instead. The officer sighed heavily but shook his head. "We recieved a call from a civilian about two severely beaten men down by the Far East highway. When the dispatched officers arrived, they found them. They were beaten badly and couldn't be moved by the officers alone." He said before looking at the doctor who approached.

The doctor, who was not Doctor Powell, did look a little weary as he eyed Joe and Moonracer but way. "Mister Ferreira?" He asked looking at Vince.

"How is Deek?" Vince asked anxiously.

The doctor shook his head running a hand through his semi balding hair. "He is stable now. But we could have lost him." He gave Joe a sympathetic look when she choked on a gasping sob and buried her face into Vince's shoulder. "His injuries were quite severe. His entire left side ribs were broken. I am guessing that whoever did this to him kicked his side until they were. He had a puntured lung and it would have killed him from the blood flow. He has a fracture in both legs, so he won't be able to use them for a long time. He will have to be confined to a wheelchair probably for an entire year or until we can infuse them. I could do surgery on him and infuse his legs with metal plates and pins. But it will still take a long time for him to heal. He also has a fractured skull, so there may be chance of brain damage. But aall we can do is hope that is not the case." He explained. "Those are just the severe conflictments. Other wise he is just bruised and beaten. We will have to keep him in ICUnit until he can heal his lungs on his own."

Vince's face was very dark by the time the doctor was done explaining. And it did not bode well in Joe's or Moonracer's case. They could tell he was cooking up something and it wasn't good.

Unfortunately, the police officer noticed too. He frowned seriously, looking over at Vince. He knew that look that was on the oldest Ferreira sibling's face. "Vincent, don't even think about it. I know that look and I won't allow it. Do not even..." He was saying.

Vince turned his dark eyes onto the Officer, frowning just as darkly as he dropped his arms from around Joe, who looked uneasily up at him. "You're not in charge of us, Morris. I am. I am in charge of my family. Not you." He said grimly before he looked over down at Joe. "Joe, we're going home." He told her firmly.

Joe looked uneasy but she slowly nodded. She knew what Vince was about to do. And she would have to do anything to make sure it didn't come to that. She looked uneasily at Moonracer, who met her glance with her own. They both understood.

"Vincent! Don't you even think about retaliating to the Demons! There is no proof that they had anything to do with this! Leave this to the Police!" Officer Morris snapped, his tone very serious.

Vince turned a glare onto him again as he grabbed Joe's hand and started to pulling her away. He almost sneered right into the officer's face. "Yeah? And what good did that do?! My brother was nearly killed! One of my friends was killed by them! Proof or not! This is my business now! Stay out of it!" He snapped before he turned and practically dragged Joe after him.

Officer Morris sighed, shaking his head. He knew very well where this was going. And it was not going to end well at all. He frowned when he felt a hand on his arm and he turned to see Moonracer looking back at him. "Yes?" He asked curiously.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure he doesn't do something stupid." Moonracer swore before she turned and hurried after Joe and Vince with the officer staring in bewilderment after her.

Moonracer practically jogged to catch up with Joe and Vince, who were nearly at the door. She kept going until she was right behind him and grabbed Vince's shoulder, making him jerk around to glare at her, thinking it had been Officer Morris. But he looked surprised to see that it wasn't. "Vince Ferreira, don't do this. It wasn't the Savage Demons who did this." She said firmly.

Vince narrowed his dark eyes at her before recognition settled in and he frowned darkly. "You. You're one of those damn Bots, aren't you? Look, I warned you guys to get the hell out of..." He was saying darkly.

It was Joe who reacted this time. She quickly pulled her arm free from Vince's grip and stood next to Moonracer, folding her arms. "Vince, do you trust me?" She asked, surprising him. She didn't wait for him to answer before glancing side wards at Moonracer. "I ran into the Bots last night. That's what I didn't tell you. They want to help us end the fights with the Demons. I've been talking to them. They're all right. We can trust them. I'm already considering them to be friends." She admitted.

Vince now glared at his sister, slowly shaking his head. "Joe, they are outsiders! They have no business in our business!" He looked back at Moonracer. "Mind your own god damned business, Bot! Joe, let's go!" He snapped at her before turning and starting to leave.

Joe huffed irritably and looked back at Moonracer. "Jeez. He's not going to listen to us. This whole thing with Deek is messing with his logical mind. He's going to start a fight and people are going to get hurt." She said grimly.

Moonracer slowly nodded as she watched Vince walk over to a Black Shadow motorcycle and kicked it alive, waiting for Joe to join him. "I know. Let's get going. I'm going to check in with Chromia and find out if they found anything out yet. I hope they found something. We need proof that the Demons didn't have anything to do with what happened to your brother." She said before nodding towards her real form. "Let's go."

Nodding, Joe hurried down to the pink Ducati, leaving the holoform just standing there and they were off after Vince. The holoform dissapated once Vince wasn't looking.

With Twitch and Cliffjumper, they practically sped back to the Savage Demons' hang out and were not surprised to see two cops there, talking to a rather enraged looking Duke. And it looked like the other Demons were just standing around, listening to what was going on. None of them looked happy whatsoever. They both grimaced to their selves, knowing that the Duke got the idea of what just happened and what he and his gang were being accused for what happened to Deek Ferreira.

"Oh, man. This don't look good." Twitch said, wincing as he pulled up.

"...do you mean?! We had nothing to do with what happened to that piece of shit, Ferreira! There is no way any one of us could have beaten that dumbass like you just said!" Duke snarled right into the cop's face, who raised his hands and backed away.

They heard Twitch coming up and eyes snapped to him. Duke practically glared right at the younger man before looking back at the officer, who was eyeing the new arrival with suspicion. Twitch grimaced again, having a feeling he knew what that look meant. "Oh, geez." He muttered.

"Don't worry. I promise it won't go that way." Cliffjumper murmured as quietly as he could as he rolled right up to everyone.

"What about him?" The officer asked, seriously looking right at Twitch as he climbed off of Cliffjumper. "It looks like he went somewhere. Hey, young man. I need to ask you..." He was saying now walking towards Twitch, only to stop when Duke swung his hand right into his way, blocking him off from approaching Twitch. "Duke, do not even think about intervening. A young man has nearly been beaten to death and you and your gang is being accused. If you try and stop me from doing my investigations, you will be held in contempt and you will be arrested for intervening in a police investigation."

"Twitch couldn't have done it, cop!" Duke growled as he folded his large arms across his chest, narrowing his dark rimmed eyes at the officer. "He's a fucking pussy! He couldn't smash a fly if he wanted to! It wasn't him!"

"Well, I'll be the judge of that." The cop said darkly before turning his attention onto Twitch who swallowed hard and nodded as he stepped forward. "Son, your name is...Twitch?"

Twitch shook his head and half shrugged. "It's Marchello Twitchelle, sir. Everyone calls me Twitch." He explained trying to sound calm but knowing that he was failing.

"And where were you this morning between nine and ten o'clock this morning?" The officer asked seriously.

Twitch glanced uneasily at Duke, who was glaring at him. He knew this not going to go so well if he answered in honesty. But he couldn't very well lie to the officer. If he would have been caught in his lie, he could very well be arrested. He knew that Duke was going to be pissed about this. He was not going to let this go very easy at all. But with a sigh, Twitch looked back at the officer and lift his head. "I was with my girlfriend." He said, telling only half of the truth.

From a side glance, Twitch saw Duke's dark eyes narrowing in a glower. His face was starting to darken with a fury that even seemed to mix well into the other Demons. They were all getting the idea of who he had been with.

"And your girlfriend can vouch for you in that?" The officer asked, frowning.

Twitch lowered his eyes, not daring to look over at Duke. He didn't want to see the dangerous glare that he could feel being shot at him. "Yeah. She can." He said in a low voice.

"And who is your girlfriend?" The officer asked, still frowning.

Taking a deep breath, Twitch looked away for a second before looking back at the officer. "Johanna Ferreira." He answered firmly.

There were a series of snarls from Duke and the other Demons, while the officer looked surprised to hear that. Twitch cringed at the hisses of disgust and anger that his fellow gang members were shooting at him. He knew that this was not going to go very well once the officer left.

"He was also with me!" came a voice as a loud rumbling engine approached, rather slowly.

Heads jerked around to see who just spoke up and many eyes lit up in surprise to see the shiny red and silver Venom GT driving up and Knocker's was smirking as he pulled up. Twitch was just surprised to see that all of the scratches and scuff marks were already gone from his frame. He had expected the repairs to have taken longer than they had. He hadn't expected to see Knockout already fixed and repainted after leaving him a half an hour ago with Chromia and Flare-Up. 'That was fast.' He thought to himself.

Knockout opened his door and his human form walked over to where Twitch stood with the officer, ignoring the bewildered looks that Duke and the other Demons were shooting him. He just smirked his cocky and vain smile right at the officer as he walked right up to the bewildered Twitch and clapped a hand onto his back in a friendly manner. "I was with him too, officer. So I can vouch for him. He wasn't any where near where ever Deek was beaten to slag." He said firmly.

The officer slowly nodded as he listened before shrugging. "Okay. I guess that works. We'll still run the alibies with Joe Ferreira, but if you can vouch for him too, that'll work out in your favors. The problem is, your gang is still being accused for what happened to Deek Ferreira. So if there is anything you're not telling me and I find out that you lied, there will be trouble." He said seriously, looking over at Duke, who glared right at him. He turned and motioned to his partner that it was time to take off.

It was quiet for a moment before Duke snapped his attention onto Twitch, looking very deadly. The very look made the young man cringe and back away as the giant of a man began stomping towards him.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WERE WITH THAT BITCH, JOE FERREIRA?!" snarled Duke as he made his way towards Twitch only to have to stop when Knockout stepped in between him, his arms folded across his chest. "What the hell are you playing at, Knockers?! What the fuck is going on here?!"

Knockout slowly shook his head, keeping his sly smirk on his face but his black and red eyes kept pinned right on the slightly bigger man. "I'm not playing at anything, Duke. But I'm afraid this has got to end now." He glanced over his shoulder at Twitch, who stepped behind him, almost using him as a shield from Duke's fury. He grimaced but shook his head as he turned back to Duke. "Twitch is seeing Joe Ferreia. So, what the hell is the problem with that? She's a gorgeous girl. Even you can't deny that." He said firmly.

"SHE'S A FUCKING DARK ANGEL! ONE OF OUR ENEMIES...!" Duke snarled right into Knocker's face, who grimaced at his morning breath and backed away.

"So what?" Knockers asked, frowning with a hint of disgust from the human's breath. "And dude, don't you ever brush your teeth in the mornings?"

"Don't you fucking start with me, Knockers!" Duke snapped before turning to look around him at Twitch. "You! Twitch, you will dump the bitch! You want to be a Demon any longer, you won't see a damn Angel! I won't allow it!"

Twitch flinched from the fury but then his face darkened and looked stubbornly at Duke, raising his head in defiance, which made the large man blink. He shook his head, raising his head higher. "No. I am in love with Joe and no one has the right to say that I can't see her! Especially you, Duke!" He then shook his head and raised a hand when Duke started snarling at him. "NO! That's enough, Duke! This whole thing with the Dark Angels! The gang fights and rivalries! They're bull shit, Duke! It's so stupid! What you did last month to Vince Ferreira was stupid!" He snapped right back.

"That's it! I am going to beat some sense into you, Twitch! I won't allow you to date a fucking Angel and be apart of the Demons!" Duke snapped now making his way towards the young man, who started to back peddle quickly away to escape from him.

There were a series of clicks that barely caught everyone's attention and it was coming from the golden tanned Ducati right behind Twitch. Cliffjumper ALMOST transformed to come to Twitch's defense.

"Touch him, Duke, and I will quit the Demons!"

Duke stopped abruptly and there were surprised murmurs from all of the Demons. He spun around, looking wide eyed at Knockout, who now looked deadly serious as he gazed right into the tall man's eyes. He was not smiling any more. He wasn't looking like he was joking in any way. "What?!" The Demon Leader demanded.

Knockout dipped his head down low and he narrowed his dark red eyes into Duke's own dark gaze. "I said, touch Twitch and then our deal is over. I won't race for the Demons any more. He's got a point. The whole thing with the Dark Angels is getting boring. It's getting lame. We need to stop deluding our selves. Them, too. We need to stop fighting and figure things out. It's getting us nowhere but more trouble with the city. What do you think is going on with the police, Duke?" He asked deadly serious. He shifted his stance and tilted his head to the side, looking almost impatiently. "I just found out that the city Police Department is planning on taking more extreme measures to stop the gang wars between us and the Angels. The Mayor just ordered the Police Forces to start making arrests. We fight the Angels again and get caught, we're going to start doing jail time." He said darkly.

There was a long pause as all of the Demons took in the information before it was Duke who swore and looked away, with a far away look. "God damn it." He growled, now cupping his scruffy chin.

Knockout nodded. "It's time to stop it, Duke. It's time to start talking to Ferreira. Maybe it won't be a bad thing. This whole thing between Twitch and Joe Ferreira. We could easily talk to the Angels and become something a whole lot bigger than we could even think about it. A whole new gang. You can't deny that they have some really good racers. Joe Ferreira being the best right under her brother, Vince. The Demons and Angels Gang." He said, now smirking.

Duke frowned at the thought but he was actually considering it. He actually looked like he was thinking about it. "Hm. You know, you're actually making sense, Knockers." He said thoughtfully. "We do need to end this whole thing with the Angels." He looked up at the smug look on Knockout's face. "We're going to end the Angels once and for all. Starting with that bitch, Joe. And we'll use Twitch for it."

The smug look was immediately gone and Twitch even tensed up in alarm. "What?!" Both of them asked.

"That's right. We're going to destroy the Angels once and for all in a rumble." Duke said before pointing over at one of the other members. "Call Ferreira! Tell him we're settling this once and for all! With a rumble tonight!" He demanded.

Twitch and Knockout looked at one another with alarm, knowing this was not good at all. They even spare a glance over at Cliffjumper, who clearly had stiffened on his wheels. All of them were pretty much thinking the very same thing. 'Shit/Slag.' They thought to their selves.

'I'll warn Chromia!' Cliffjumper quickly sent a silent transmission to Knockout, who slowly nodded.

'And I'll go warn Sweetwheels and her human friend. They're going to need to know.' Knockout sent back.


	10. Show Time At The Rumble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs Best Used:  
> Just A Dream-Carrie Underwood  
> My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark-Fall Out (Light Em Up; 2 Chainz version)

Things were taking a turn for the worse and it was time to put an end to it. Everyone knew that. The Dark Angels knew it. The Savage Demons knew it. The Autobots and Knockout knew it.

Still, the biggest question was, how to end it with lives being lost?

When Chromia recieved word from Cliffjumper of what Duke's decision was to settle the score with the Angels, it took every ounce of will for her not to just race over to the Demons' hangout, transform ad scream into Duke's face. She knew they needed to play it smart. And it didn't help to hear from Moonracer of what Vince's decision had been.

And to do that, they needed to find out who was really respincible for Deek Ferreira's beatings.

Together, Chromia and Flare-Up went back to that highway over pass, where the beatings had taken place. It was the same place where she and her fellow three Autobots had revealed their selves to Twitch and Joe.

Looki g around the area, Chromia remained grim. She looked at the police caution tape surrounding the area and the blood splatters on the pavement where Deek and the other, Rich had laid. She saw bits and pieces of metal here and there. Scraps against the pavement.

Something definitely went down there. And it hadn't been pretty.

"What are you thinking, Chromia?" Flare-Up asked from where her holoform was sitting on her real body. She was watching the trigger happy femme looking around entire scene, trying to piece together what had happened.

Chromia slowly shook her head as she looked around before moving to a vacant spot where some metal was still lying. "This was where Joe left her bike last night." She said in a far away tone before looking over at another spot. "There. There is tire treads and paint chips. The paint is dark green. I am guessing that was Deek's bike. He and the other human must have come here together with the intention of one riding Joe's bike back home."

There was a moment's pause as Chromia looked around, warily. She could almost picture it all in het head, like a flash back. She saw what was happening through her processor of thinking.

"Deek Ferreira must have gottenoff his bike and moved over to where Joe's bike had been." Chromia sad frowning before turning her human eyes over to across the road to see llight tire marks. She pointed over to them. "Someone in a car slammed on their brakes. Someone approached Deek and his friend in a car." She moved over to the tire marks and bent down to one knee. She frowning at the tire marks.

They were like zig zags patterns. So many tires could have been like that. It was not a relative science when trying to figure out what belonged to these markings. There were probably millions of cars that the tires could have been.

But luckily for them, Chromia and Flare-Up had access to high technology, due to what they were.

Chromia eyed the tire marks, scanning them in rapid movement and started going through a fast, but long list of what vehicles the tires were compatible with. She wasn't Hound, that was for sure. She knew if he was there, he would have the information in no time flat. But then again, being a sparkmate of the Autobot Weapons Specialist and being an Autobot Valkyrie was no problem either.

For something like this, Chromia had been programmed and trained for tracking like this.

And a match came up on the list.

"It was a truck. Possibly a small truck." Chromia said immediately before looming around with narrowed eyes. "Whoever was in the truck got out and approached Deek. A fight must have broke out. I am thinking that it was more than one. But how many and who?" She asked almost to herself.

Flare-Up frowned looking around before eyeing the blood splatters. "So...whoever did it attacked Deek and Rich. Beat them to the Pits. Probably killed Rich. But with what..." she started before her eyes fell on something away from the road. She immediately hopped off her real form and hurried to the dirt and rocky area from beneath the highway. She joggedover and found what looked like a patch of desturbed dirt.

What made it odd was rust colored splotches.

"Chromia! Over here!" Flare-Up called as she bent down and began brushing the dirt away.

Chromia was quick to hurrying over andwatcing the young femme as she pushed the dirt around until her fingers brushed against something in the dirt. She carefully dug arou the metal object and then drew back her hand when she found a wrench.

A blood covered wrench.

"Good job, Flare." Chromia said appraisingly as she bent down to one knee and picked the wrench up, looking it over. "Now let's see who the blood belongs to." She lightly tapped the dried blood and ran a DNA scan through her databases. She flipped through medical records quickly until a match came up.

The answer to the question was Deek Ferreira and Richard Freedman, the Dark Angel gang member who had been killed.

"The murder weapon found." Chromia said coolly before her eyes looked over the wrench before finding very faint oil smudges. "Finger prints. The dumbaft who used this on Rich didn't even wear gloves. He used this to bash on Deek and Rich. Then he proceeded to leaving it behind, probably for the police to find and put the blame on the Demons."

"How do you know that?" Flare-Up asked frowning.

Chromia pointed at the oil smudges. "This definitely belonged to a mechanic. Someone who works on vehicles. But see here? The oil used. Its the oil specially made for motorcycles." She then turned over the wrench and pointed at small crawled letters on the end. "And the name of the owner. Donald Twitchelle...? Wait. That's Twitch's last name. But not his first. So who is...?" She was asking before turning her head away as she quickly went through identity databases.

And the face to pop up with a garanteed match made her stop short and snort with humor.

"Wow. So that's his real name." Chromia said with a short laugh and recieved a puzzled look from Flare-Up. She ignored her though as she switched her human vision to optical vision, using ultra violet scanners. She found finger prints on the handle. "There are two sets of finger prints on this thing. The mysterious owner of the wrench and the one who stole the wrench to place blame on the Demons. Son of a glitch." She swore before swiftly standing up and frowning at a confused Flare-Up. "Flare, who did Knockout say convinced Duke to cause Vince Ferreira's wreck?"

Flare-Up frowned but shook her head. "I don't know. He started to but then Vince called Oe and he didn't get to finish. I think he started to say a name that started with S and T." She said frowning.

"S and T, huh? It's either a name of a person. Or the name of another gang who wanted the Angels and Demons to fight each other. Destroy each other so they would in the city." Chromia said darkly before holding the wrench out to Flare-Up. "Flare, take this to Officer Morris, and fast. Have him run ID scans and finger prints to make sure. I think I know how to find out who really beat the slag out of Deek Ferreira."

"How?" Flare-Up ased frowned.

Chromia let her holoform ficket out of sight then reappear on her rea form, kicking her engine alive and loud. "There is only one person who knows every single racer in Tuscan. He knows the gangs and I am betting he might know than he wanted to say." She said seriously.

"Who?" Flare-Up asked asshe jogged over to her real form and slid the dried bloody wrench into her seat satchel.

"Beanz, of course." Chromia said seriously before she was off.

Moonracer recieved the transmission from Knockout Nd was not happy whatsoever. She knew this was not going to end well because she was curretly listening to Vince and Joe yell at each other as soon as the eldest Ferreira got a taunting call from the Demons.

"Vince, you can't do this! Did you not hear what Officer Morris say?! We get into another fight with the Demons and it is all over!" Joe exclaimed as she followed her brother all over the Garage, trying to get him to stop making the calls to the other Dark Angels. She had to do something to keep him and the others from going to fight the Demons. She couldn't allow them to ruin everything that she and Twitch was trying to do.

Vince ignored her as he went over to his cell phone where he had left it lying on a counter and scooped it up. He did not want to argue with Joe about this right now. He was furious that Duke would even think about challenging them to a rumble. It wasn't like he wasn't planning on it, himself. Not technically anyway. He was going to plan it out in a smart way. But then the Demons decided to move up the plans.

"VINCE!" Joe tried again before reaching over and grabbing his arm.

Growling at her, Vince jerked his arm away from her and glared. "Joe, don't even think about talking me out of this! The Demons made the challenge and we are not going to back out! Duke wants a fight, then he's getting it!" He snapped before turning his attention back onto his phone and sending a massive text to all of the other Angels to meet at the garage in an hour.

Joe slowly shook her head, her breath catching in her chest. She felt like everything was falling apart right before her and she couldn't stop it from happening. But she had to try anything. She couldn't let Vince do this. "Vince, please. Can't we...just...can't we just talk to Duke? Find out what's going on? Why do we have...?" She was saying.

Whirling to face her, Vince glared at her again. "What is with you, Joe?! When did you turn into such a spineless Demon lover?! Oh, that's right! You decided to start seeing that loser, Twitch!" He snapped at her before shaking his head. "Guess what, Joe! It's not happening! You are not seeing Twitch again! I won't allow it! You better hope he's not at the rumble tonight! Because if he is, he is going to face me!"

Joe paled but shook her head slowly, tears filling her eyes. "Vince, please! Don't do this!" She begged.

Vince shook his head as he narrowed her eyes at his sister. He, honestly, couldn't believe that she was even putting up a fight like this. She had never been this persistent before. She had never fought him about fighting the Demons before. That is until Marchello Twitchelle joined the Demons. Then that was when everything changed. "Joe, you're not going with us to the rumble tonight. You're staying here." He said firmly before reaching out and grabbing her arm and dragging her towards the storage room.

"VINCE!" Joe gasped as she was dragged across the garage to the back room where Vince shoved her into the room and slammed the door, locking it. She pounded on the door, trying to yank it open and get her brother to stop being such a prick. "Vince, let me out! Please!"

Shaking his head, Vince turned away, placing the key on the counter and moving over to a cabinent. He opened it and began pulling out bullets to his gun, as well as a few brass knuckles and chains. He ignored Joe as she continued to bang on the door and screaming at him to let her out of the room.

Moonracer watched with concern as she watched the struggle between siblings but didn't intervene. She wanted do something to help Joe but she was still under orders not to blow her cover. She was going to have to wait till Vince left before she went to free Joe from the storage room. She didn't like this one bit. She knew it would be an hour before she could do anything though. *Moonracer to Chromia, please tell me you have something by now.* She sent a transmission.

There was a pause before Chromia sent her reply. *Not yet but we're getting very close to solving this. I know for a fact that it wasn't the Demons. But Flare and I are still trying to find out who it was. I'm going to talk to Beanz about what he might know. What's going on your side?* She asked through their link.

Moonracer would have shook her head if she wasn't in her bike form as she turned her hidden optics over to where Vince was making more calls as he prepared for the rumble that night. *It's not good. Joe and Vince started fighting about this whole rumble thing and he got fed up. He locked her in the storage room and is going to leave her in there until its over. He's not going to let her go with them tonight. We might have to get really serious tonight.* She answered.

She could almost feel Chromia nodding through their weak bond.

*I agree. Once I get done talking to Beanz and finding out what's really going on, Flare-Up and I are going to meet up with Cliffjumper and Knockout at the rumble and we're going to force the Angels and Demons to talk. Peacefully. You just do what you can to helping Joe before coming to meet us. It's time to make Vince and Duke talk it out instead of beating each other to scrap.* Chromia sent to her. *Contact Knockout and keep word with him. See if he won't tell you who told Duke to cause Vince's crash. It might be the big key to solving this whole thing.*

Moonracer nodded as she looked over at Vince again. *Got it. I'm contacting him now. There's something that's been on my processor that I've been wanting to ask him anyway. Moonracer out.* She said before she tuned her connections over to Knockout's freqency. *Moonracer to Knockout. What's going on over with your end?* She asked through the transmission.

*Weeeeell, if it isn't my favorite femme. How you doing, Sweetwheels?* came Knockout's sly, flirty reply.

Moonracer rolled her hidden optics but couldn't help as she felt a smile curl on her face plates. She knew he'd never give it up. *Quit while you're ahead, Knockout. I already told you that it's not going to happen. So knock it off.* She said trying to sound irritated.

There was no doubt that the sadistic medic was smirking on his end. *Never, Sweetwheels. So, what's going on over there? What was Vince's reaction to Duke's daring challenge against him? He wasn't happy, was he?* Knockout asked through the transmission, at least taking it a little seriously.

*No, he definitely wasn't happy. He's accepting the challenge and there's going to be a big fight. Chromia and Flare-Up are moving as fast as they can to finding out who really beat Deek Ferreira up and killed Rich. She said she's getting very close to solving the case. But she thinks that you might have the key point to all of it. Who told Duke to cause Vince's wreck?* Moonracer asked seriously.

There was a long pause and she could almost see the wheels turning in Knockout's helm.

*So...your sister thinks who talked Duke into causing the crash was probably responsible for what happened to Deek and is putting the blame on the Demons?* Knockout asked now sounding very serious.

Moonracer stiffened, knowing that there was something that he wasn't telling her. *It might be. Who was it?* She asked frowning.

Knockout was silent for a long moment before he said a name very quietly, due to the fact that someone was walking by while he was pretending to be talking to Twitch, though technically he wasn't really.

Hearing the answer, Moonracer frowned as she looked thoughtfully away. *Them? But I thought...Beanz said...* She then shook her head and turned her attention back onto Knockout through their communications link. *That can't be possible. They never seemed violent at all.*

*Everyone lies now and then, Sweets. They are not as nice as everyone believes. I don't know if they really had anything to do with what happened to Deek but in a way, it does make sense. Then again, it don't. Keep your optics out though. If it was them, they might be trying to pull something tonight when the rumble happens.* Knockout warned. *Now, was that all, Sweetwheels?*

Moonracer paused as she looked thoughtfully away. She did want to know one other thing. It didn't have anything to do what they were supposed to be concentrating on. But...it had been bothering her for a very long time. *Knockout? About what happened all those vorns ago. When we first met. Why did...why did you...?* She started asking carefully.

There was a pause before Knockout made a light huff as if he was chuckling in amusement. *Why did I try and save your life after I shot you? Well...maybe it was because I really was going to interrogate you by gaining your trust.* He said, though didn't sound sincere.

Moonracer huffed in irritation and annoyance. *For real, Knockout. Why did you repair me after you shot me? I am an Autobot. You were a Decepticon. We were enemies. You weren't suppose to repair me. You were suppose to offline me. So why did you...try and save me? Why...?* She was saying.

*Honestly? You want the honest truth?* Knockout asked a little skeptically but seriously. He didn't even wait for her to acknowledge him with an affirmative. *I repaired you because I didn't like seeing you lying there, bleeding energon all over the place. Yeah, I was a Decepticon. I should have just left you lying there, off lining. But I couldn't. I tried to walk away with all of that Energon that was there. But...I couldn't just leave you lying there. I can't really tell you what was even going through my processor at the time. But after thinking about it after all of our confrontations, the truth is, I just can't hurt you, Sweetwheels.* He said, his tone rather soft.

Moonracer couldn't help but look away, her fans clicking on again. She felt her frame heat up a little from embarrassment and flattery. She couldn't even think of something to say about his answer. There was just one thing she could say. *Thank you, Knockout.* She said softly.

And as if she could see right through transmissions line, Moonracer could practically sense the smile on Knockout's face.

*No problem, Moonracer. Believe it or not, I'd watch your back any time.* He said right back.

Finally it was time.

Moonracer watched as the Dark Angels rode up to the garage where Vince was waiting right next to his black motorcycle, wearing all black and looking Grim as Death. She watched uneasily as all of the Dark Angels mirrored his very dark look. They were clearly ready to end this in a big fight with the Savage Demons.

"All right, everyone!" Vince called as he mounted his bike and kicked it alive. "We're meeting those damn Demons at an empty warehouse where we end all of this! No matter what! We destroy them once and for all! For Deek!"

"FOR DEEK!" Every single Dark Angel yelled as loud as they could, throwing their fists into the air.

Nodding sharply, Vince revved his engine loudly before he took the lead, leading all of the Dark Angels down the road. The Angels followed after him, cowing and crowing in excitement for the rumble. Moonracer could only just wait there, watching as they went. She waited till they disappeared down the street before she quickly clicked on her holoform and raced into the locked garage. She had no trouble whatsoever to breaking into the garage and racing over to the storage room.

"Hold on, Joe! I'm here!" She called through the door as she scooped up the key and began to unlock the now quiet room.

Cliffjumper and Twitch were quite anxious about this. They weren't looking forward to this at all. But it wasn't like the Autobot could say anything just yet. He had to wait for Chromia to give him the order to reveal himself. He wanted nothing more than to just to transform and order Duke and the Demons to stop what they were doing right now. But he had to wait.

As it was, he was very uneasy about the fact that Duke had ordered that Twitch ride with Knockout to the rumble while another Demon rode the golden tan Ducati. No one was happy with that but they had their orders and it wasn't time for the cover to be blown yet.

Duke was leading the Savage Demons down the street to where they were going to meet the Dark Angels, at his own choosing. He was wearing a black bandana over his long dark hair and a black muscle shirt under his black leather jacket. He even had hard knuckled gloves pulled over his hands, which he had customly made to hide a steel plate in the fabric. He, like the rest of the Demons were looking forward to this final fight. They were so ready to destroy the Angels once for all.

Of course, both Twitch and Knockout had tried to talk Duke out of it and all they got was threats and insults. It wasn't like they could quit the Demons because it still wasn't going to stop them from fighting the Angels. They needed to be there at the rumble and make sure things didn't get out of control. They were still waiting on Chromia to contact them with what she had found as it was.

What made Cliffjumper and Knockout more uneasy about the whole thing was as they drove down the road after all of the bikers, there had been no sign of a police enforcer anywhere. They hadn't seen one cop car as they went. It made both of them silently question each other of what might have been going on. There was no doubt that the police might have got an inkling that something was going down tonight. But there were no cops out ready to start making arrests.

Not a single one.

It was only a little after dark when the Savage Demons pulled into the large ware house on the farthest side of the city where it was most isolated.

The warehouse was connected to an old factory that was obviously closed down. It was run down and there wouldn't be any one there to get hurt. Just the Demons and the Angels, who were already waiting for the Demons to arrive in a large clearing of the warehouse building. They were just waiting with bats tapping in their hands or chains swinging back and forth.

Cliffjumper looked around uneasily not seeing Moonracer any where. He could almost feel Knockout doing the same but both of them knew that she wouldn't be there just yet until the very last minute, bringing Joe.

Duke had the Demons stop about twenty feet away from where Vince and the Angels were waiting, all grim and dark looking as they shot dangerous looks across the way at each other. He swung his leg up and over the motorcycle and stepped a little closer but not too close to where Vince was standing, who had walked forward a few feet before stopping, himself. "So, you pussies did come." The Demon Leader called over.

"In deed." Vince said darkly, his head dipping low. His dark eyes flickered away from Duke and over to where Twitch was shifting one foot to the other, looking very uneasy about the whole thing. He sent a scalding glare to him before shaking his head and looking back at Duke. "You and your Demons are going down for what you did to Deek, Duke." He growled viciously.

Snorting darkly, Duke shook his head as he balled up his fists, cracking his knuckles. "I don't know what you're going off about, Ferreira. We didn't touch your pansy ass brother! But with you accusing us for it, you're the ones going down! No one accuses us and gets away with it when it's not true!" He snapped.

"Bull shit! I know it was you! And I am not going to let you get away with it!" Vince snapped right back before he raised a fist into the air. "Angels! Attack! Take them out!"

There were shouts of curses and almost like battle cries as the Angels ran forward, raising their choice of weapons, ready to use. The Demons followed suit and started yelling as they rushed forward.

Cliffjumper clicked loudly and heard Knockout doing the same. They knew they were suppose to wait for Chromia to arrive and give the order but they couldn't allow this fight to start. They had to do something now! Twitch was already starting to back peddal away from Knockout as soon as he heard him clicking and starting the transformation process.

Suddenly there was a loud sound of a revving engine and hot head lights struck across the wall and on the two gangs that were running at each other. There was also a loud sound of sirens and lights flashing. The blinding light made everyone yelp and stop right where they were as they raised their arms to shield their eyes from the light.

Cliffjumper felt his spark leap when he saw the speeding icy blue motorcycle racing into the ware house, along with the fiery red Flare-Up right behind her. He grinned to himself as he watched them screech to a halt right between the Angels and Demons, blocking Vince and Duke from even reaching each other and forcing them to step back to avoid getting side swiped by her.

Right with the two motorcycles, a police cruiser was speeding into view and it was clear there was just one cop and two passengers. And doing a quick scan, Cliffjumper saw that it was Beanz and another man, who was sitting in the back seat, looking quite grumpy in deed.

"ENOUGH!" Chromia snapped as she ripped her holoform's helmet off her head and turned a glowing glare onto each Vince and Duke, who were frowning in surprise. "That will be enough from both of you!"

"Bitch! You again?! What?! You didn't want to take my threat seriously...?!" Duke snarled glaring at Chromia.

Turning her glowing glare onto him, taking him by surprise to see her eyes actually glowing, Chromia narrowed her eyes before she began to flicker, startling everyone. "Donald Twitchelle, shut your slagging mouth! NOW! I told you, we will leave Tuscan when we are good and ready! And guess what?! We're not ready!" She snarled before her holoform flickered out of view and the icy blue motorcycle began to transform. "Cliffjumper! Flare-Up! Transform!" She ordered as she began to twist and turn into her bipedal form.

And to the Angels' and Demons' shock, the golden tan Ducati and the fiery red Ducati began to follow suit.

As did the red and silver Venom GT, who didn't want to miss out on all of the fun of shocking the pits out of all of the humans standing around him. Knockout was just enjoying himself way too much at this point and he ignored the shocked look on all of his fellow Demons' faces as he stood to his full height. "Party time, eh, Trigger Happy Femme?" He asked slyly.


	11. Truth Behing Murder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs Best Used:  
> Bruderschaft-Forever (Lux Eternus Remix)

It went dead quiet once everyone saw what he four really were. No one could speak out of shock and alarm as the gazed up at the four Cybertronians. It would have been funny if it were in a different situation. All everyone could do was stare at the now four large beings standing around them, glaring at them or in Knockout's case, looking smug.

But nonetheless, no one was fighting.

"Wh-what the hell?" Duke was the first to speak out of his shock, looking up at Chromia as she towered over him and Vince.

Chromia turned a glare onto him then to Vince, who stepped back, dropping his bat he had been planning on using on Duke. "Are you two done now?! Are you going to fragging listen without interupting or fighting now!" She demanded.

Vince, for once, swallowed hard and nodded when she glared down at him and Duke quickly followed suit when she turned her glare on to him. "You're...you're Autobots...? But why are you here...?" He asked not hiding his surprise.

Chromia nodded sharply. "Yes. We are. And we were sent here to stop the gang fights! Everything you two gangs are doing are hurting innocent people, Vince! And Duke!" She whirled her glaring blue optics onto the other. "It is time to stop it! It's time to get over your ridiculous pride and stop fighting!" She snapped.

"He...My brother was..." Vince started to say, his tone starting to hardened.

Chromia shook her head as she looked at him with a hard expression. "Deek wasn't beaten up by the Savage Demons, Vince Ferreira! They had nothing to do with it! They were being pinned by the real culprits, who wanted you two to fight and destroy each other! The Demons had nothing to do with it!" She then jerked around to look at the cop car as Officer Morris and Beanz climbed out, looking somewhat taken back but not surprised whatsoever. "He did." She finished motioning to the man was sitting in the back of the cop car.

Heads turned towards the officer to watch as he moved to the back seat and opened the back door to pull out a familiar man, who the Angels and Demons knew. And they were stunned.

"Snap?! From the Street Cats?!" Duke asked in alarm.

Snap, a man in his late twenties, was glowering at the ground, his hands hand cuffed behind his back. He was wearing baggy black jeans and a white tee shirt, looking more like a 50's greaser than anything else. He did not look happy at all.

"So it was Snap. I kind of figured it might have been." Knockout said folding his arms over his chassis.

Duke turned and looked up at him in alarm as if realizing what he was all of a sudden. "Knockers! You're an Autobot too?!" He yelped.

Knockout grimaced, optic'ing him with disgust and offense. "Pit no! I am definitely not an Autobot!" He groaned before shrugging it off. "Was a Decepticon. Kind of gone neutral from the whole war against Autobots versus Decepticons. I'm my own fraction."

Duke slowly nodded now snorting as if he found humor in the very thought. "I knew there was something weird about you and your car...well...you. I have never seen a guy freak out like you did when a hot chick sat on a your car's hood just to flirt with him." He remarked.

Knockout grimaced at the memory Duke pointed out to him. "I don't an organic aft on my hood. I know what comes out of it." He groaned in disgust. And a few grimacedin understanding.

"Okay!" Vince snapped, raising his hands to get everyone's attention. "Okay! What the hell is going on here?! What do you mean Snap was the one who beat my brother nearly to death! There is no way that happened! The Street Cats are pussy cats! They never do anything that they're not suppose to!"

Officer Morris snorted as he dragged the glowering Snap closer to the two gang leaders. "Actually, we now have evidential proof that he did have something with the beating of your brother, Vince." He nodded to Chromia, who straightened and folded her arms over her curvy chassis. "Just about two hours ago, she showed up at the department with Beanz. Apparently since the whole thing happened with Deek, she and her Autobots were looking into the whole case. She has been doing her own investigatig and eventually found the weapon that was used to kill Rich and beat Deek to a pulp. It was this." He said before getting into his pocket and pulled out an evidence bag with the wrench inside it.

Duke blinked several times as he leaned closer to take a good look at it before his mouth fell open in surprise. "Hey! That's mine! That's my personalized wrench! It went missing earlier this week! I thought Twitch lost it when he was working on his bike!" He remarked in alarm.

Chromia nodded as she looked down at him. "That's right. It was at the scene of the crime of Deek's beating. Flare-Up was the one to find it. We found the name on the wrench and traced it back to you. Donald Twitchelle." She explained.

Both Duke and Twitch grimaced as they shared a glance.

"So, I'm guessing you two are related. That's why Twitch is even in the Savage Demons in the first place. He never seemed to be the gangster type. He's not as violent as you guys, or rough." Cliffjumper said shifting his stance on his peds.

Twitch nodded as he glanced uneasily at Duke. "He's my uncle. My dad's step brother. He took me in when my dad ended up in prison years ago." He said with a light shrug.

Duke gruffed before eyeing the wrench in distaste then shot Snap a look. "So, what the hell is going on here, Snap?! You stole my wrench and used it to beat up the younger Ferreira brother and put the blame on me?! Why?! What the hell did I ever do to you?!" He growled.

Snap gave him a bitter look before sneering. "You guys want to know why?! Because of you and Vince! The Dark Angels and the Savage Demons are nothing but trouble in this entire freaking city! You don't deserve the respect that you keep demanding for! The Street Cats are the ones who should be ruling this city! Not you!" He snapped bitterly. "Didn't expect us to get caught for pulling all of this crap! Not by these robot meddlers! It was so perfect too! Have you guys fight and destroy your selves and end up being jailed for being such deliquents and then it would the Street Cats' turn to take over!"

"So how does Beanz fit in this?" Vince asked, his arms folded across his chest as he looked at the young black man.

Beanz sighed, lowering his head and raising his hands as if defending himself. "It wasn't my idea to hide it from you guys. I didn't even know about it until what happened to Deek. I heard that the Street Cats were planning something but I didn't think they were serious. They never are serious about getting violent and all! Then what happened to Deek happened! I started freaking out! I was going to call you but then Snap showed up at my shop and threatened me if I told anyone what I knew he'd kill me like they did to Rich." He snorted as if he found something funny next. "Didn't exactly help their case when she showed up." He said motioning to Chromia.

Chromia nodded as she optic'd Snap darkly. "That's right. I was on my way to ask Beanz if he knew anything when I found this human and another threatening him to keep quiet. I knew that they were who was really responsible for what happened to your brother, Vince. It wasn't the Demons." She then looked back at Vince and Duke, frowning seriously. She knew it was time to have it out. "And you two nearly made the biggest mistakes of your lives! You nearly started fighting to destroy each other!"

"Yeah, and we will continue...!" Duke was growling now sharing a glare with Vince.

But Chromia growled loudly before slamming a fist down on the ground between the two men now, making them step back to avoid debries flying into their faces. "No, you won't! It's time to stop the rivalries, you two! It's time to stop the hate and the violence between each other!" She snapped.

"This has nothing to do with you..." Vince was saying darkly.

"Dude, how much do you love your sister?" Cliffjumper asked, sourly. The question took Vince by surprise, shutting him up very quickly. The Autobot mech nodded as he looked over at Twitch. "And what about you, Duke? Don't you care about your nephew in any way?"

There was a dead pause as Duke and Vince glanced over at Twitch, whose face softened as if he understood what Cliffjumper was even trying to do. He smiled faintly up at the golden tanned Autobot before looking back at Vince and taking a deep breath. He knew it was time to step in. "Vince, I know you don't like me because I am apart of the Savage Demons. But I hold you up with the greatest respect all because of your sister. I am so in love with Joe, Vince." He grimaced a little when Vince's face darkened but he moved closer. "It's not that she's beautiful that has my attention, Vince. She is so beautiful, yeah. But she's smart, she kind. She's everything to me. I fell in love with who she really is. I don't know why she loves me. But she does. She has her reasons. She's been crushed every time she's tried to tell you about us but you wouldn't listen. She loves you and Deek so much. She would never back stab you or anything. But...she just wants to rule her own life now. She's a grown woman. Don't you think you should put some trust in her now?" He asked, looking apologetic.

Vince stared hard at him for a long moment, not answering him. He just looked dark with thought, not liking anything that Twitch was even saying.

Twitch turned his attention onto Duke next. "Duke, you know dad would let me try and see whoever I wanted. It being a Dark Angel or not. You know you can trust me. You know I would stand by you any time, even though you can be such an ass. Your family, man. But the fights has got to stop. Gang fights and all. It's really stupid." He said with a shrug.

Duke frowned darkly at him but then he straightened and slowly nodded. He seemed to be listening carefully to what Twitch was saying and was considering it.

"The point is, guys," Flare-Up spoke up with a shrug, looking from Vince and Duke. "You're pushing your families away with your own stubborn pride. You're hurting innocent people when you don't have to. Your gangs, what you guys do, you guys can be some so much more than you even realize. Instead of fighting each other, why not work together to do so much better."

Vince and Duke shared a glance before looking away thoughtfully. They didn't seem to want to listen.

"They're right, Vince. And you know your parents wouldn't want you doing this." Officer Morris spoke up tightening his grip on Snap's arm when he tried to use the heart to heart talk as a diversion to sneaking off. It didn't work very well in his favor though and it made him grimace. "Your father was a good police officer. I am sorry that I couldn't save your parents that night during that gang shoot out. But following in the foot steps in the gangs that had been part of their deaths is not right. If you really want to be a leader of a gang, then be the right kind of gang. Instead of leading your friends into causing fear throughout the city, do something bigger!"

Vince kept his eyes adverted as he took it all in. He took in all of what Twitch said about Joe and what the Autobots were saying about their fighting with the Demons. And he even listened to Officer Morris' words about his parents. Even though he wouldn't like to think about it, he knew the cop had a point. His parents would have been ashamed of him.

And in truth, he had been losing Joe a little with fighting her all of the time about dating Twitch. He had been pushing her away because of his own stubborn pride.

"I think...I think you might have a point."

Everyone blinked and looked over at who spoke in surprise to see that it had been Duke had spoke up. He had actually spoke up first and it surprised everyone. He was looking over at Twitch, nodding as if agreeing with everything he was saying. "You're right, Marcie. The fights have been starting to get stupid." He glanced up at Knockout, who was looking bored of everything that was going on. "Knockers was right. It is getting boring fighting the Angels all of the time. It is getting kind of lame."

"Heh. I knew you were actually listening to me." Knockout said smirking looking back at him in his bored way. "How can you not? You know you I was right."

Duke snorted with his own smirk before nodding and looking back at Vince, who was frowning. He let out a deep sigh before stepping forward and offering his large hand. "They got a point, Ferreira. Our fights are getting lame and stupid. Maybe we should...try and work something out."

Vince sent a dark look at his hand but then his face softened as if a thought him and he slowly nodded and reached out for Duke's hand. "Let's work something out then. If not for the sake for my siblings." He said, firmly.

"Yeah, about that." Duke started, his tone hardening before he turned a scathing look onto Snap, who stiffened to see that dangerous look aimed right at him. Anyone who knew Duke knew that look way too well. "You! You beat up a good kid and tried to fucking blame me and my Demons! I never had any beef with Deek! Might look stupid with black and green hair and looking like a punk but I'll admit it! He was an amusing kid! I like him! I might have beef with Vince Ferreira but not his kid brother or even his sister, other than the fact she was trying to date my nephew! YOU, on the other hand! You're lucky the cop got to you first because if I'd known about your involvement..." he was growling.

Vince slowly nodded, his eyes darkening as he glared at Snap. "Snap, you are so lucky that Officer Morris is arresting you because if he hadn't, I'd beat the shit out of you for what you did to Rich and my brother." He growled as he stood right next to Duke, both glaring at him.

Snap swallowed hard, somewhat pale but he kept a glare trained right back at the two. He looked terrified, really. But after a moment, he smirked and shook his head. "Where's your sister, Ferreira?" He asked, with a sneer.

Frowning, Vince shook his head. "She's at home. I wasn't going to let her get mixed up in this." He said darkly.

Chromia grimaced as she shared a glance with Cliffjumper and Flare-Up but frowned when the human, Snap looked almost smug about something. She didn't like that look in his eyes. "She's actually not. The pink Ducati," She spoke up looking down at Vince, who looked up in surprise. "The pink Ducati is an Autobot femme named Moonracer. The woman that you met earlier. She's my sister, one of three including myself. She freed Joe as soon as you and the other Angels left. They should be here soon." She told him.

Vince snorted, shaking his head and folding his arms. "Why am I not surprised?" He asked, sounding amused.

However, several of the Angels and the Demons and even Knockout frowned when they saw a devious smirk formed on Snap's face. There was something definitely up. They had not missed the surprised look on his face when it was revealed what the pink Ducati had been but to think of where Joe was...something was not right.

"What are you smirking about, fleshy?" Knockout asked in a bored, but warning tone as he leaned against a large metal beam of the warehouse.

Everyone turned their attention onto Snap, who was still looking quite smug. They saw the look on his face.

Snap slowly shook his head, still smirking as he looked right at Vince. "Well...to be honest. You're never going to see your sister again. Alive, that is." He said, almost smugly.

Everyone stiffened at that.

Vince's eyes flashed dangerously before he stormed forward, reaching for Snap's shirt, only to be held back by Officer Morris, who looked serious about what Snap had just said. "What the hell does that mean?! What do you mean about that?! Did you fucking do something to Joe?! If you or your Cats touch my sister, I will kill you!" He snarled, trying to get around the officer.

"What are you talking about, human? What about the human girl? There's no way that you could have done anything to Joe Ferreira. She's with the pink Autobot." Knockout asked, now stiffening and looking quite alert. He shot a look over at Chromia, who glanced back and nodded as if she understood that look.

*Chromia to Moonracer. How far away are you from our location? Are you bringing Joe with you?* Chromia sent a transmission.

And all she got was static.

*Moonracer? Moon? Answer me. What's your situation?* She tried again.

Still nothing but static.

Chromia looked very alert now as she shot a look over to Cliffjumper and Flare-Up, who were frowning at her in alarm and unease. "Cliffjumper, Flare-Up, I can't reach Moonracer on our link. Try yours. See if you can't get in touch with her and find out what's going on with her communications." She ordered. Cliffjumper and Flare-Up nodded before they both looked away, their optics flickering as they tried their communications. They stiffened after a moment and looked wide optic'd at Chromia, both shaking their heads. She stiffened and looked back at the human, Snap, also seeing Knockout stiffening and very alert to what was going on now. "What did you do?" She growled, warningly.

Snap shook his head, looking lazy but smug. "I didn't do anything. I was being arrested about a half an hour ago, remember? You were there. So I couldn't do anything." He stated before looking away, his eyes lighting up as if he thought of something. "However...my gang, on the other hand, were under orders to find the youngest Ferreira and take her out if things didn't go the way they were supposed to. I'm not sure what they were going to do. But I'm pretty sure they might have...I don't know. Run her and her pretty pink bike over. Probably picked them up and threw them away in the trash, just like they are." He said with a shrug.

Series of curses and growls broke out. Vince snarled in rage as he tried lunging at Snap for his words. "YOU SON OF A BITCH! WHAT DID YOU GUYS DO TO JOE?!" He demanded, having to be dragged back by Duke of all people to keep him from ripping into Snap's throat.

Snap just sniggered while being glared at by the Autobots and everyone in the ware house. He only yelped in alarm when the police officer grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and dragged him over to the cop car to slam him against it. "Ow."

"What the hell did you have your friends do to Joe Ferreira?!" Officer Morris yelled into his face. But all he got was laughed at by the Street Cats Leader.

*Moonracer! Moony! Answer me! Where are you?! Why aren't you answering?!* Chromia was now trying frantically on the transmission, her sensors going wild. She looked wildly at Cliffjumper and Flare-Up, who looked like they were doing the same. *Moonracer!*

"What the hell did you do to Joe, Snap?!" Vince was yelling, trying to rip himself away from Duke, who was holding him back.

Snap just kept laughing, his eyes closed as he laughed so hard.

That is until a hand grabbed at the police officer and ripped him away from the Street Cats Leader and then that hand snatched him up, startling him as he was shot up into the air. He gasped and yelped as he found himself being glared at by a pair of glinting ruby glowing eyes glaring into him. He found himself under the scrutinized, outraged look of Knockout.

"What did you have your members do to the pink Autobot, Snap?" Knockout growled viciously before raising his free servos and allowing it to twist and turn into his buzz saw, turning it on with a loud scream. "What did you do to Joe Ferreira and the Autobot?"

Snap swallowed hard but shook his head as he gazed nervously up at Knockout. "By the time you find them, it'll be too late. You won't find them in time." He said, a little shakened.

"WHAT DID YOU GUYS DO TO MOONRACER, YOU SON OF A GLITCH?!" Cliffjumper snapped now moving closer with Chromia and Flare-Up as they surrounded Knockout to glaring at the human trapped in his grip. "WHERE IS SHE?!"

Snap flinched but shook his head. "I don't know what they did! I just told them to find Joe Ferreira and take her out! I don't know what they did to her or the bike!" He exclaimed in fear now as Knockout held up his spinning saw. "I swear!"

Knockout glared viciously at him before he spun his saw away and touched his helm, which emitted a dial tone sound. "Then I suggest you find out. And you find out fast and tell us before I decide to do a last minute operation." He said darkly as his speakers emitted another dial tone and then it sounded as if someone picked up.

"Hello?" came an unfamiliar voice to all but Snap.

Snap looked surprised but he slowly nodded as if he understood what Knockout wanted. "Hey, Conners. It's Snap." He spoke out, looking uneasily at Knockout. "Just calling in to find out what happened with Joe Ferreira."

The man on the other side of the line snorted as if he was laughing. "We found her riding that pink bike of hers down Central Street. Just like you thought she would be. We ambushed her like you told us to." He then took on an uneasy tone as if remembering something weird. "Dude, you didn't tell me that her bike was a robot. It was really weird. As soon as we caught up to Ferreira and made her get off the damn thing, it started...I don't know. Transforming! Like those stories about those Transformers that they just outted out in Washington."

A vicious growl began to escape from Chromia, Cliffjumper, Flare-Up and even Knockout as they glared at nothing, though trying to glare at the man, Conners.

"Ask him what they did to her." Knockout growled in a low voice as he muted the call to talk to Snap, who nodded shakily.

"Wh-what did you do to the bike, Co-Conners?"

"We rammed it into a power line as it was changing. Scared the shit out of us, man! The powerlines came down right on top of it and zapped the shit out of it. It was either dead or just knocked out when we threw it in the back of Marti's truck and took it to the dump with Joe Ferreira." Conners answered.

"WHAT?!" Vince exclaimed from below.

There was a dead silence that clearly said that Conners heard him.

"Human, this is Knockout speaking now." Knockout growled into his transmissions. "The Street Cats have been found out. More than likely, the cops will be out searching for you in a little while. That means you too. Tell me where you took Joe Ferreira and the Autobot that you hurt and I won't hunt you down and rip you to pieces!" He growled viciously.

There was another pause then Conners answered. "Snap, what the hell is going on?" He spoke up.

"Just tell him, Conners! We are so in trouble! Where did you take Ferreira and the bike? Where did you put them?!" Snap snapped when Knockout began to squeeze him in warning.

"We...we...uh, put them in a trash compactor at the City dump. It's set up on a timer to crush them at ten. Crush them into nothing. And by the state of that bike, we might have killed it." Conners said very uneasily, sounding very shakened now.

"NO!" Chromia and Flare-Up cried out in alarm while Cliffjumper just looked alarmed.


	12. Rush

The moment the words were out, Knockout dropped Snap on the ground and was whirling away from everyone. He had been the first to react, a deep growl in his vocoder. He made a move for the exit, ready to bolt at any second.

"Knockout! Where are you going?!" Chromia called after him, halting him from leaving.

Knockout growled once before whirling back around to give her a skeptical look. "Where do you think?! I am going to go free your sister and Joe before they end up dead! If I don't, everything you, bots, had been working for these past two days is over! And then you won't have any reason to uphold your part of our deal!" He snapped, though, deep within, he was hiding the true purpose.

It seemed Chromia knew that because she looked serious and nodded with a determined look. She looked right into the Ex-Decepticon's ruby optics and nodded her understanding. Then she looked at Cliffjumper and Flare-Up, nodding firmly. "We're going with! Moonracer is my sister and we swore to protect Joe! Cliff, Flare! Let's go!" She ordered now shifting into her motorcycle form.

"Wait!" Vince called out, halting all of them from leaving. He was hurrying forward to stand in front of Chromia, looking determined if not a little shaken. He stood right in front of her bike form, looking right into her head lights. "Let me come with you! Joe is my sister and I have to be there for her! I have to help save her! I swore when our parents died, I would protect her and Deek! I've been failing lately but I will not fail in this! Let me come with you!"

Chromia paused for a second before she turned slightly and shifted her handle bars towards Flare-Up. "All right. You ride with Flare-Up." She told him firmly.

"Wait a second, you lot!" Officer Morris said as he was shoving Snap back into his cop car. He made sure he was secured before frowning around at everyone. "Did you forget something? There are going to be police units all over the city looking for you! The mayor of Tuscan has called warrants for all of your arrest! The Angels and Demons! If they see you out in the city, racing about looking for Joe, they are under orders to arrest you. You, especially, Vince. You threatened to start a full out war with Duke and his Demons in a hospital. You really didn't think anyone wouldn't have called you out on it, did you?" He asked, seriously.

Vince turned his dark eyes onto the officer but shook his head. "I have to go find Joe, Morris! She is my little sister! I have to protect her!" He snapped warningly.

"You think the other police officers will care or even know that Joe is in danger?! By the time we tell all of them, it will be too late! You should just let the Autobots and...the uh...Knockout find her and take care of her." Officer Morris said firmly as he glanced at the impatient look on Knockout's face plates. He knew they were wasting time by just talking about it. But he couldn't possibly let Vince go like this.

Vince slowly shook his head, frowning firmly. "I am sorry, Morris. But I am not going quietly until I know Joe is safe. I am going with the Autobots and Knockout to saving my sister. Give me five minutes ahead then come chasing after me. But I am going to Johanna." He said firmly.

Morris slowly shook his head, not believing Vince's stubbornness. But then again, he really shouldn't have been so surprised. Vince always had been hard headed. "If a police unit sees you, they will come after you, Vince. They will chase you until they catch you and then what? What if you don't get to Joe on time because you were caught by the police? They will come after you." He said with a deep sigh.

"Unless..."

Heads turned to see the thoughtful look on Duke's face. He had been listening and watching carefully and figured it was time to step in. He could see the pained concern on his rival's face and in truth, he couldn't really stand the idea that Joe was in such danger. He might have not liked her because she was a great racer, but he didn't want her to get hurt. Or killed.

And even as he thought about it, he came up with the perfect solution.

The large Demon Leader nodded as he smirked right at a confused Vince before he looked around the warehouse at all of the lingering Angels and Demons standing around just watching and looking uncertain about what to do. He knew that all of them would be useful into what he was even thinking about. He smirked, nodding as he turned to look back at Vince. "Hey, Ferreira. I have an idea. You ever seen 2 Fast 2 Furious?" He asked slyly.

Vince frowned, one eye narrowed in confusion. He didn't know where Duke was going with...oh! His face lit up in realization and he nodded as he definitely liked what Duke was thinking. "Oh, yeah. I definitely like that idea." He said, grinning and received a grin right back. Everyone else just frowned as they looked at the two, wondering what the heck they were even talking about. Even Knockout shared a glance with the three Autobots, frowning.

That is, until a few minutes later, more than fifty bike riders were racing out of the ware house, speeding down the roads of Tuscan, looking for the cops.

Knockout and the three Autobots waited for all of the Angels and Demons to clear out first before they were soon speeding down the roads in their vehicle forms. The Ex-Decepticon had refused to allow anyone to drive him. But the Autobots didn't mind so much.

While Flare-Up had Vince with her, Chromia decided to allow Duke to drive her while Cliffjumper was paired up with Twitch, who didn't want to be left behind for any reason. He put up a pretty good fight with Vince about going to save Joe and won in the end. He held onto his Autobot friend's handlebars as tight as he could as the three Autobots sped down the street, all around Knockout.

As expected, there were police units out and everywhere throughout the city. They were patrolling the streets, looking for any of the gang members from the Angels and Demons. And when they started seeing them speeding down the streets, they immediately took the bait. Sirens began echoing throughout the entire city as the chases began.

The three Autobots and the Ex-Con sped down the streets, avoiding the areas where the Angels and Demons were leading the police officers away from where they were. They were doing well over the speed limit, wanting to get to where ever Moonracer and Joe was at as fast as they could to get them out of the crusher. With a glance at the chronometers, they saw that they had only ten minutes before the crusher was going to be activated and crushing them. They needed to speed up and get to them fast.

Suddenly there was a flash of red and blue from behind the four, making all of them and their riders jerk their heads around to see two police cars had spotted them and were now giving chase.

*We don't have time for this!* Chromia growled through the comm links as she sent a glare through her mirrors at the police officers that were now speeding up and honking their horns.

*Want to split up, Mia?!* Cliffjumper called back as he sped along side the icy blue femme.

"Hey! I got it!" Duke yelled over the charging wind whipping all around him. He let go of Chromia's handle bars and twisted himself around so that he was sitting backwards on her. He reached up and ripped his helmet off his head and threw it at one of the police cars, which veered off to the side and slammed on its brakes as the helmet slammed into the wind shield.

"What are you doing, Duke?! You could have hurt someone!" Chromia growled through her radio at the human on her.

Duke twisted back around before eyeing the police car that was still chasing after them, even as the other had slammed into a curb and stalled its engine from continuing the chase. He knew that the other police unit wasn't going to be too easy getting rid of like the other. He looked back down at Chromia. "Hey, chicky! Pull over! Drop me off!" He yelled over the speeding winds again.

"What?! What are you planning on doing?!" Chromia asked as she started to slow down, sending an order to Cliffjumper and Flare-Up to stay with Knockout and find the dump yard where Joe and Moonracer was at.

Duke smirked as he reached down and patted her tank's side as she slowed down to a quick halt. He didn't even wait for her to completely stop as he jumped off before waving her to go fast. "I'll handle this! Just get going! Go save Ferreira's Sister and yours!" He yelled before turning around and rushing into the middle of the road just as the police car slammed on its brakes.

Immediately Chromia was squealing her tires as she sped up to catch up with the others. She merely glanced back through her mirrors to see Duke had raised his hands above his head in surrender and was allowing the police officers to rush him to hand cuff him. She realized he had just sacrificed himself just to get rid of the cops chasing them and slowing them down. She felt a hidden smile on her face as she would have shook her head if she could. She didn't think Duke was as bad as he tried to make himself to be.

With the others, Knockout kept his engine roaring as he sped down the streets with Cliffjumper and Flare-Up right beside him. He made drifting turns around corners, kept speeding up and weaved in and out of other cars that were still on the streets. He was determined to find Moonracer before she ended up as scrap. 'Hold on, Moonracer. I'm coming.' He thought to himself as he kicked up his speed.

It was dark as she onlined her optics. She could hear blurred words that seemed to echo off the walls. It was rather...disorienting really. She had no idea what...She suddenly cried out in pain as she tried moving and felt a jolt of sparks race right up her arm.

Moonracer onlined her optics completely as she grabbed her injured arm and barely had strength to sitting up. She flinched when she felt her head scrapped against something. She frowned before looking around and then stiffening. She had no clue where she was at. She was in some kind of metal box. And it did smell horrible. Like old oil and transmission fluid. And it smelled like something had burned in this strange cell.

"Moonracer! Moonracer! Let me go, you assholes!"

Moonracer's head jerked up and she looked frantically around the metal box. She could hear Joe from outside her prison. She moved a little before groaning as more pain shot up through her receptors. She shifted closer to one of the walls and pressed her helm against the scarred walls. "J-Joe?! Joe! Are you all right?!" She called as loud as she could.

There was a scuffling sound outside the box before she heard Joe scream in rage and it was obvious that she was fighting with someone. "Moonracer! You have to get out of there! They're going to crush you!" She screamed, still fighting with whoever was restraining her.

Optics flashing, Moonracer heard a screeching groan and she jerked her head around to see that one of the walls was starting to move. It was now moving very slowly towards her and it didn't take her a single second to realize where she was at. She was in a Scrap Crusher. The men that had attacked her and Joe must have taken them to a scrap yard or of the sort.

"Slaggit!" Moonracer exclaimed now looking frantically around for anyway to get out. She tried to lift up her arm to shift it into her blaster so she could make an exit. But she ended up hissing pain as sparks shot out from her blaster, giving her the idea that it was heavily damaged from being run over by a truck earlier. She looked frantically around, getting to her now flat wheel and having to crouch down very low because she could stand completely up. She began searching the crusher for any weak spots.

Unfortunately she wasn't finding any.

Moonracer turned to look at the enclosing wall which was moving every so closer towards her. She was barely feet away from it now. "No." She whimpered before reaching up and pressing her hand against the wall, trying to push with all her strength. It wasn't helping that she was so damaged as it was and all it did was hurt her arm more.

Outside the Crusher, Joe was struggling hard against the Street Cat members that had attacked her and Moonracer. She had been at it for the past half an hour, trying to find a way to escape where they had tied her up to a pole with chains locked all around her. She was kicking and screaming, trying to get out of her bonds while watching as one of the Street Cats walked over to the large green compactor that was sitting in the middle of the scrap yard.

"NO! Don't do that!" Joe screamed, now struggling harder as she watched him press the button to start the crusher. "YOU SONS OF BITCHES! YOU'RE GOING TO KILL HER!"

The Street Cat members just sneered over at her as one started wandering back over, ignoring the thumping and scrapping sounds of metal from within the crusher. They knew after what they did to the pink robot there was no way she was getting out of there. Not after cutting several lines in her arms before throwing her into the compactor. The one who activated the crusher pulled out a pipe and began bashing the controls to destroy them. It was a just in case sort of thing really.

"That's kind of the idea, bitch." One of them sneered before he looked at his partner. "So, should we just brain her now? We haven't gotten a call from Snap or Conners yet. And they said that if we don't hear from them by ten, beat her up."

The other Street Cat nodded as he reached into his black leather jacket and pulled out brass knuckles. He put them on and started approaching Joe, who was now kicking in his direction and trying to scoot away from him, not going very far because of her bonds. "Sorry, Ferreira. I really didn't want to do this but I got my orders." He said, not sounding very sorry at all. He stepped right up to her and grabbed her by her jacket, raising his brass covered fist.

Joe screamed in rage and fear at him but jerked her head away and closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the blow to come.

Suddenly there was a loud revv of an engine, that halted the Street Cat's fist from flying. He and his partner looked up with alarm to see where the source of the noise was coming from before they jerked around as head lights flashed over them. A golden tanned motorcycle came flying over a scrap pile and someone was jumping off of it, sailing towards the Street Cat that had been ready to start punching Joe's head in.

Joe looked up just in time to see Twitch fly right into the gang member threatening her life and slam into him. She jerked her head just to watch as her boyfriend began swinging his fist and slammed his own knuckles into the Street Cat's face.

"Hey!" The other Street Cat snarled before starting to charge at Twitch, sweeping down to grab a pipe.

"Twitch!" Joe screamed in fear as she watched the gang member moving in to slam the pipe into her boyfriend's head.

Just before he could swing, a fiery red motorcycle came flying out of nowhere just like the golden tanned motorcycle had and Vince was leaping off of Flare-Up to tackle the second Street Cat, knocking him to the ground and joined Twitch to knocking the two out.

There was scream of an engine as Knockout and Chromia came flying around the corner of the scrap piles and into the area. They both quickly made their transformations and looked frantically around. The red and silver Ex-Decepticon took one look at the activated crusher and then stormed over, now looking frantically for a door. He found it just fine but saw that it was wielded shut. "Sweetwheels!" He called as he began looking for any kind of door or weakness to the compactor. He growled at the sight of the control panel having been destroyed. That was going to slow things down.

"Knockout?!" Moonracer called out in pain and fear as she was trying to push the ever moving wall away, but it was defeating her in strength.

"Hold on, babe! I'll get you out of there!" Knockout called as he raised one of his servos and twisted it into his buzz saw. "I'm going to have to cut open a door for you then!"

Chromia, Cliffjumper and Flare-Up hurried over, standing around and looking helpless as they watched Knockout starting to settling into work. They had looked to see Vince and Twitch had won the fight against the Street Cats and were now trying to untangle Joe from the chains.

"Moonracer! We're here! Just a minute and we'll have you out!" The icy blue femme called through the walls of the crusher.

Inside, Moonracer winced as she tried pushing at the wall that was only merely feet away from her now. She was crouched down, arms bent a little. She didn't have much room now. It was getting way too cramped for her and she knew it was a matter of a minute before she was crushed into nothing. "You're not going to make it!" She cried out before screaming in pain as her injured arm groaned under the abuse and sparks flew from the wound. She yanked her injured arm back and across her chassis while trying to push helplessly against the wall with her other. "Chromia! I'm sorry! Turn off your end of the bond so you won't feel it!"

Chromia felt her spark twist in dread and pain as she heard those words. She could barely feel Moonracer's fear and pain as well as her desperation to getting freed. But she could also feel the helplessness that was leaking through their bond. "No, Moonracer! We'll save you in time! Just hold on!" She cried desperately now clawing at the sealed door of the crusher.

Knockout was now moving quickly to cutting into the compactor at one end, the end where Moonracer was at. He spun his saw as fast as he could, ignoring the screaming of metal and the sparks flying in many directions, even at his face. He just glared at the metal wall with all of the determination he held.

"You're not going to make it! I'm sorry! I let my guard down and now I'm paying for it!" Moonracer yelled, sounding extremely terrified now as she began moving against the wall, pressing herself tightly against it as the compactor wall was merely a foot away from her now. "Chromia! I love you, my sister! Tell Arcee that too!" She paused for a second. "Knockout! I'm sorry for everything! I should have told you the truth!"

A mere frown formed on Knockout's face plates as he continued to cut quickly into the compactor wall. He sawed down the side before quickly moving back to the top to start again. "Tell me what, Sweetwheels?!" He called as he quickly worked to sawing the wall a door way.

"All those Vorns ago! When we first met! And shot at each other! I missed you on purpose!" Moonracer yelled, sounding desperate now. "I didn't want to hit you because you did take me by surprise! Yes, I wasn't expecting to see you, a Decepticon there! But I also couldn't shoot you because I thought you were the...you were the most handsome mech I've ever seen! I just wanted to tell you that before...before I am crushed!"

There was only a brief second that Knockout was taking by surprise but then his face plates set in determination and he began sawing faster. He formed another long cut line down the compactor before grabbing the top of the cut metal and pulling hard. He was not going to give up on her now that those words were out of her vocodor. He gritted his denta as he began pulling hard and frantically.

Just then there were three more pairs of hands grabbing at the cut metal and pulling. He took a quick glance down to see the determined three Autobots now helping him trying to pull the metal off the compactor. He met the icy blue femme's optics before nodding and pulling harder.

Suddenly there was a loud snap as the metal plate gave way and Knockout dove forward, reaching into the compactor as fast as he could, grabbing at the first pink object he saw. He immediately grabbed Moonracer and yanked her out of the compactor just as the crusher's walls met in a crushing embrace. There was a loud crackle and metal groan as the walls pressed tightly against another before a loud snap cracked through the air and smoke began trailing up into the air from the engine.

Nonetheless, Knockout scooted back as fast as he could with Moonracer curled up into his arms. He was still glaring at the crusher for a long moment before looking down at her. Her optics were offlined but he knew she was still online. She was trembling against his chassis. She was practically curled right up against him, burying her face plates into his chassis and it made him smirk.

"Hey, Sweetwheels. On line your optics." The Ex-Con remarked softly as he slowly dropped down to one knee to set her down.

There was a hesitated pause before Moonracer's optics lit up and she looked up at him, almost surprised. She blinked several times as if alarmed to find that she hadn't been crushed. "Knockout?" She asked softly.

Knockout merely smirked and nodded before he looked up just as Chromia and the other two dove down to wrap their arms around Moonracer. He let them take her before moving backwards to give them more room.

"Moonracer! Thank, Primus!" Chromia yelped as she pulled her sister into her arms and embraced her tightly, followed by Flare-Up and Cliffjumper. They held her tightly against them until she groaned in pain. The icy blue femme immediately yanked back and even had to lightly push the other two away to get a good look at Moonracer and saw her snapped arm. She felt her intakes vent painfully before she whirled her head back around to look for Knockout standing a few feet away. "Knockout! She's hurt!" She cried over to him.

Frowning, Knockout was moving forward again, bending back down next to the hot pink femme and gently taking her arm. He took in her injuries before activating a scanner and moving it over it. "It looks like you have several snapped energon lines and a broken joint. I can fix it though." He told Moonracer as he handled her arm very carefully.

Moonracer slowly nodded before she looked up at him and felt her optics soften while optic'ing him as he was still studying her injured arm. She raced her other hand and grabbed at his chassis, surprising him for a moment as he looked into her cool blue optics. She smiled up at him before pulling him close so she could throw her uninjured arm around his neck and hug him close. "Thank you, Knockout." She vented softly into his pointed audio receiver.

Pulling back a little, the red and silver Ex-Con stared at her slightly surprised but then he smirked and nodded. He was just glad enough that they managed to find her in time before she had been crushed. "You're welcome." He said just as softly back before returning to starting to seal some of the broken energon lines. He wasn't even aware of Chromia staring into his back and at her sister. He wasn't even aware that her face plates and optics softened and she shook her head as she watched them interact.

"Moonracer!"

All of the Cybertronians looked down to see Joe moving quickly forward Vince and Twitch, arm in arm with both of them as she looked worriedly at the pink femme. She only smiled slightly when Moonracer returned her look of concern. "Are you okay, Moonracer?! How badly hurt are you?! Will you be okay?!" The human female asked worriedly.

Knockout snorted as he looked at Joe in amusement before nodded as he went back to the repairs he was making on Moonracer's arm. "She'll make a full recovery once I get done. I'm just going to seal the energon lines before I start on her joint. I'm going to need some materials to fully repair her arm. As well any of the other repairs that need to be done on her. But as soon as I get done, she'll be fine." He reported to everyone.

"Thank you, Knockout." Chromia said, and really did mean it.

Just then there came the sound of sirens and everyone whirled around to see police cars speeding into view, being lead by Officer Morris. They drove right up though some of the officers slammed on their brakes in surprise to see the Cybertronians. They could only gape in surprise at what they were seeing before them.

Joe felt her breath catch in her chest as she saw many of officers jumping out of their cars and pulling out their guns to aim at the Cybertronians and them.

"Hold it!" Officer Morris snapped as he got out of his car and was rushing over to small group in the scrap yard. "Put your guns away, you idiots! They're Autobots!"

Slowly, one by one the many officers obeyed Officer Morris but moved closer, looking at the Cybertronians in awe. They couldn't believe that they were actually seeing them. Of course when the awed stupor finally was settled, a few officers moved towards Vince, looking serious. It was a look that everyone knew well.

Joe breathed softly before shaking her head and looking up at Vince, who was watching the officers with his dark eyes. "No." She breathed painfully. "Vince."

Vince looked back at her but his face softened and he shook his head as he wrapped his arms around her, giving her a gentle hug. "It's okay, Joe. I did some pretty stupid things. But I'm not running way. I need to face what I've done. Me and Duke." He said before he kissed her gently on the forehead and pulled away, moving over to the officers, whom one was taking out his hand cuffs. He raised both hands, allowing the officer to hand cuff his hands in front of him, seeing that he wasn't going to fight them.

Everyone watched as Vince was starting to be pulled away from them but he stopped, halting the officer for a second before he turned back to look back at Joe and Twitch. He was frowning deeply for a moment but then his face softened. "Hey, Twitch!" He called over, catching the Savage Demon's attention and making him look quite curious. "Take care of my sister while I'm away. If you hurt her, I'll break your legs."

Both Twitch and Joe's faces lit up as they looked at each other with growing smiles and then looked back at Vince, who smiled right back before allowing himself to be pulled away towards a car, where, again, he paused to see Duke leaning out an open window.

Vince and Duke took one look at one another before they extended their hands again, both hand cuffed in the front so they could shake hands and nod at one another in a more friendly manner. "I think it's time to call a truce, Duke. Maybe we can work something out with boundary lines and rules and such." The oldest Ferreira remarked with amusement.

Duke grinned as he nodded before looking over at Twitch. "Hey, Twitch! I like your girlfriend! She's welcome to ride with us any time!" He called over.

Twitch grinned as he wrapped an arm around Joe, who leaned her head against his shoulder. "I know. I'm a lucky guy."

The four Autobots and one Ex-Decepticons watched with amusement and satisfaction as it seemed that they finally completed what they were suppose to do. And that was to bring peace between two warring fractions. They shared a glance at one another, all five smiling at one another. Now if only they could do the same about two other fractions they knew about.

But at least, all of them had a new found respect for one another. And that was all that mattered.


	13. Finish Line

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs Best Used:  
> This Afternoon-Nickelback  
> Saying Goodbye-from Pixar's Cars Soundtrack

Things definitely were different after two days. Everyone saw the change. It changed for the gangs, for the public, it even changed for the Autobots. They found that once the Dark Angels and the Savage Demons Leaders made their peace with one another, so had the others.

Because Vince and Duke were the main reason the gangs were in trouble, they took all of the blame and was serving time in jail until they received hearings for the crimes of the gangs.

That left Joe in charge of the Angels and Twitch in charge of the Demons.

So with the help of the Autobots and Knockout, the two temp Leaders took advantage of their relatives' absence. They had a cook out party and invited everyone, even Beanz to it.

So far, it was just Joe, Twitch, Beanz and the Cybertronians, at the Ferreira's garage.

With a hot grill going, cooking dozens of meat patties and hot dogs, coolers full of beer and soda, and a radio booming out music, it still looked a little sad without everyone. Joe, dressed in blue tight jeans and a black tank top, was looking down each road, hoping to see her gang coming. But she was disappointed that no one was.

Off to the side, Knockout was in his bipedal form, bent over Moonracer, testing her newly repaired arm and smiling while doing it. He was bending her arm and stretching it out and making sure the joint was working properly. "How does that feel, Sweets?" He asked her.

Moonracer paused for a second to let the feeling set in before she smiled faintly at him and nodded. "It feels better. Maybe a little stiff. But better." She told him.

Nodding, Knockout lift his servo and twisted it into what looked like an oil nozzle before he oiled her elbow joint and then repeatedly bent and stretched her arm. "Now?" He asked meeting her cool blue optics.

"Much better. Thank you, Knockout." Moonracer said gratefully.

Knockout smiled back, still holding her arm gently. He took a moment to just stare at her before looking over at Chromia as she walked over. "Well, Sweets is all repaired. I still suggest a little more rest. Just to make sure." He announced.

Chromia nodded with her own smile before reaching over and patting his forearm, thankfully. She looked back around the area, at Twitch who was teaching Cliffjumper how to cook the organics food and then over to Flare-Up, who was telling Beanz about the Cybertronian history. She smiled, shaking her head before looking over at Joe, who was looking disappointed. "I am sure they will come, Joe." She tried to reassure the human girl.

Joe looked over but then shook her head as she wandered over to a lawn chair to sit down. "No, they're not coming. I am not Vince, who would tell them it's mandatory to do something. There is just too much hate between the Angels and Demons. It will take awhile before they will learn how to..."

Just then they heard a series of rumbling engines approaching, making heads jerk up and look around to see what it was. And saw a small crowd of motorcycles coming their way.

Joe immediately perked up with a smile before standing up. She recognized several of her fellow members, along with some of the Demons. "They're here!" She said excitedly.

The riders drove up and began parking in various places before making their way over to the three humans and five Cybertronians. "Hey, Joe! Sorry we're late! We went to pick up some stuff." One called over before getting into his large bike satchel and pulling out containers of fruit.

"Hey, Viper!" Twitch greeted one of his fellow members happily. "We didn't think you guys were coming!"

Viper snorted as he wandered over with the others. "Yeah, we weren't going to. But I guess your cop friend must have drove by this place and saw only you guys and the robots so he told Duke. Cause I just got off the phone with Duke about thirty five minutes ago and he said if we don't go hang out with the Angels, he'd open a large can of whoopass on all of is when he got out of jail. And you know the Boss. We don't do what he says, we pay for it." He said chuckling before high fiving with Twitch.

A few Demons were looking around at the Angels and even Beanz, not looking impressed. They looked as if they hate a mouthful of Sour candy as they eyed them.

And everyone else noticed.

"So," It was Knockout to speak up as he towered over all of the humans, giving them a skeptical but warning look. "You guys aren't going to have a problem hanging out with the Angels, are you? Because if you do, I can require many checkups for all of you." He said, twisting his servo into a giant aft needle.

Many of the Demons gulped nervously and stepped back away from him.

Moonracer, with a light huff of amusement, rolled over and lightly smacked the Ex-Con on the arm. "Behave, you." She said jokingly serious.

Knockout smirked as he reached up and rubbed where she smacked him, pausing to frown as he looked down to find a small scratch on his paint. "Hey! You scratched me." He huffed before smiling a little when Moonracer winced apologetically. "I guess I'll just have you buff it out and repaint later, Sweets."

Moonracer smiled, shaking her head in amusement. She would never agree to it if it was different situation. But since he had saved her life, she had a new perspective view of him. She would never admit it out loud, because it would boost his already too high ego, but she did like him. And she knew that Chromia knew that she did. Which was why she saw her sister smiling awkwardly as she glanced between the two.

"All right! Enough of this scrap!" Cliffjumper cheered making everyone jump and look at him. He was grinning as he pumped his arms into the air. "Let's get this party started!" And he kicked on his radio to boom out Nickelback's This Afternoon.

Everyone cheered and whooped as they began to relax with other. Beer and soda was cracked open as they went to eat and even danced to the music booming.

Everyone was having a grand old time, even as they began to talk to different fractions of the gang and just enjoy their conversations.

It made things a lot better when Officer Morris showed up in his police cruiser with Vince and Duke in the back seat. Everyone cheered when they saw them getting out. Joe rushed over to hug her brother, who was grinning like a fool. Duke wandered over and was surprised when she launched forward to give him a hug. He looked rather happy about getting a hug from such a pretty girl like her.

Vince and Duke greeted the Autobots and Knockout, looking just as happy to see them. They thanked them for everything that they did for them.

Even with the music booming and everyone danced, it was amusing to watch as Duke asked Chromia to dance with him, just as friends, of course. Joe and Twitch were ripping up the pavement as they danced together with Vince watching warily but smiling in approval. Cliffjumper and Flare-Up were dancing together away from everyone, in their true forms and making people cheer as they went.

"Hey, Sweets." Knockout said from beside Moonracer, catching her attention. He was smiling as he offered his hand to her. "Dance with me?"

Moonracer paused but then smiled and took his servo and they both joined everyone to dancing and partying it out.

It was still about having fun together throughout the entire week with their new human friends. The Angels and Demons began working together to help cleaning up the city, helping homeless people and even began building onto Ferreira's Garage, which Vince changed the name. It was now called Angels and Demons with Duke as his partner in the business. They began planning and making arrangements to working on the best car garage and auto business. Even Beanz became a part of their business, always making deals with the two.

The two gangs that were once enemies were now one. The Angels and Demons gang, who did everything they could to work together to make Tuscan better.

The Autobots even helped, driving around d and helping with the city. They even worked with the Angels and Demons to building a new sign for the garage. Knockout even helped out and was very useful to cutting lumber for the sign with his saw. Everyone seemed to love him for his new prospects. And he sure got along with the Autobots better than he used to.

Moonracer, especially.

Now and then just around dusk, the two would escape from everything just to race around the city and outside of the city, spending time to getting know each other better than they used to.

There was definitely something building between them by the week was out. They were always smiling at each other or even brushing by each other with their optics locked. Chromia, Cliffjumper and Flare-Up could see that Moonracer was changing right before them.

And now that they started to get to know Knockout, they didn't just see the arrogant, pompous Decepticon they thought they knew. He was still his vain self, irritating at most times. But whenever he was around Moonracer, they saw a side that they never seen before. He was calmer, more easy going. And definitely didn't mind getting scratched because he would always ask her to help buff it out.

And by the end of the second week of being in Tuscan, everything changed. And it started with one simple transmissions call from back at the base.

Everyone had been having a good time, finishing up the Angels and Demons sign when the call came in. It was what was said to Chromia did everyone go quiet and the situation was no longer fun or exciting.

"We have to go back to the base." Chromia announced and everyone went quiet, looking at her in surprise. She had a serious, forlorn look on her face plates as she looked directly at Moonracer, who was looming taken back. "We are needed back at the base."

"What happened, Chromia?" Moonracer asked, feeling dread settling over her.

Chromia sighed and looked away from everyone. "Hound said that they ended up going on a mission to Kansas. They finally found Agent Sean's whereabouts and apparently sparklings that the Department had created. It was reported that Optimus and Starscream lead the team with Agent Cole and others to the rescue mission. They were too late to save Agent Sean and the sparklings. When they raided the facility, there were only three sparklings out of maybe fifty still alive. One died on the way back to the base. And even Agent Sean. He is dead. They even have the body frame of Lugnut with them."

Everyone was quiet and sober about the news. It was a sad thing to hear about. Especially when the newly formed gang were just getting to know their new robotic alien friends. They didn't want to say good bye, even though it wasn't going to be forever.

It was discussed that Joe and Twitch go with the Autobots so they could meet the others. The Autobots agreed that they could go.

The most big and sad problem to come was the fact that Knockout declined the offer to go.

"You really should come with us, Knockout. We could use your help. And it won't be like that you'll be the only Decepticon there." Chromia told the red and silver mech as they readied to leave from Tuscan.

"Yeah! Starscream and Soundwave is there! So is Barricade and Groundhog!" Flare-Up piped up.

"And Skywarp." Cliffjumper offered.

Knockout, who was avoiding looking at Moonracer, shook his head. "I told you, lot, already. I am out of the war. It isn't healthy for me to put my beautiful frame in the line of fire again. I am done fighting. I just want to live in peace, maybe party now and then. Race about the desert and cities. I am not Decepticon anymore." He said with an edge of softness in his tone.

Moonracer was watching him with a sad look but she nodded as she reached over and lightly took his arm in her hand. "You upheld your part in our deal, Knockout. So we will uphold ours. We won't tell anyone that you are here." She said softly.

Knockout looked at her, smiling softly. He huffed as if lightly amused but shrugged. "Hey, don't look so sad, Sweets. It won't be forever. We will see each other again. I promise. When you need me, I mean really need me, you know where to find me." He looked around at the still partying Angels and Demons around them. "Besides, somebot's got to protect these fleshies. Now that the sparkcat is out of the bag for us, Galvatron might try something on humans. I can protect them without revealing myself." He told her.

Moonracer smiled faintly but nodded as she stepped back and then turned to join the others as they transformed into their bike forms.

"Hey, Moonracer." Knockout called after her, making her turn too quickly and looking hopeful. He just gave her his cocky but soft smile. "Take care of yourself. And remember? I will come if you call for me. You are my femme and I will watch your back any time." He said to her smiling.

Again, Moonracer smiled but nodded before she turned and drove off after the other three as they started to go with Joe and Twitch. She knew he would hold to that promise. She felt it in her spark. She could still feel Knockout's lovely ruby optics still trailing after her as she left him behind.

Even as she left, Knockout remained smiling but allowed it to die down a little. He swore it to his very spark that some day, he would return to her when she really needed him. He would protect her when the time came.

It would not be the last he would see her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> This is the end of The Autobike's Community Service-Angels And Demons and will continue in Serin Darkwolf's Transformers The Day That Never Comes

**Author's Note:**

> This side story takes place during Serin Darkwolf's Transformers The Day That Never Comes.


End file.
